Native protest shuts Canadian highway, rail line

TORONTO, June 29 (Reuters) Police closed a stretch of Canada's busiest highway today and officials closed the country's main east-west rail line on fears that a native day of action could turn violent and disruptive.

Police said they had closed the east-west 401 highway because of demonstrators, while CN Rail said there had been an illegal blockade on the tracks near Belleville, Ontario, about midway between Toronto and Montreal.

Both freight and passenger services were affected, bringing disruption ahead of the busy three-day Canada Day weekend, when many Canadians will be traveling to visit family and friends.

Native groups had called for today's day of action to draw attention to what they describe as third world living conditions for many native Canadians, and to many outstanding land claims across the country.

Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, had insisted repeatedly that the protests would be peaceful and non-disruptive. But individual protesters had different ideas.

''We indicated for a while that we would be engaging in a campaign of economic disruption and I think we've been successful in this,'' Mohawk demonstrator Shawn Brant told CBC Television.

''We've indicated that if they wish to fight in the street we'll fight in the street.'' Brant's group set up its first barricade late yesterday, parking a school bus on a secondary route near the main highway and lighting bonfires nearby.

Police said they had issued a warrant for Brant's arrest for mischief and breach of recognizance.

REUTERS SKB RK1938