Neil Young spoke out in defense of Canada's ancient forests
The legendary Canadian musician supported a mass rally against the logging of virgin forests in British Columbia.
A huge crowd gathered in downtown Victoria last Saturday to speak out against the logging of ancient forests in British Columbia and to call on the provincial premier, David Eby, to step up efforts to protect them.
Demonstrators gathered outside the the legislature building, where they were treated to a surprise performance by Canadian folk-rock legend Neil Young. The musician was introduced by his wife, Hollywood actress Daryl Hannah.
Young, accompanied by acoustic guitar and harmonica, sang two songs, "Comes A Time," which has lines about tall trees, and his perhaps most famous hit, "Heart of Gold.
"Neil Young and Daryl Hannah supported a small rally aimed at drawing attention to the actions of the logging industry, which is destroying Canada's natural environment. And that says a lot about them. These are good people. It's been a long time since he was young, and he hasn't performed live since 2019," reads one of the popular comments under an amateur video of the performance.
More than 2,000 spectators gathered around the stage as Neil Young performed, despite the freezing temperatures. More than 220 organizations signed a declaration to protect BC's virgin forests.
The rally, according to the organizers, took place in response to the provincial government's fruitless attempts to protect these untouched forested areas.
"Ancient forests are vital to the health of our land and water, our salmon and our culture. The days of cutting them down need to end," said one of the rally organizers.
