Masked protesters block road to oil exploration company's well

More than a dozen masked protesters have created a blockade on a road leading to an oil exploration site near the city of Gasp.

The protesters arrived on Tuesday and laid down tree trunks to block access to the road that goes to the Galt #4 well, owned by oil-exploration company Junex.

Junex's Galt oil project is one of the most advanced projects of its kind in Quebec.

A Radio-Canada cameraman was sent to the protest, but was asked to leave by the protesters, who would not speak to him on the record.

However, a post on the anarchist website "Montral Contre-Information" shed some light on their motivations.

On Sunday, the post went up, calling on people to protest against Junex's oil project and reassert the sovereignty of the Mi'kmaq First Nation.

When asked, the chief of the Gespeg nation, Manon Jeannotte, said she wasn't aware of any planned protests.

Junex President and CEO Jean-Yves Lavoie said he's aware of the blockade and has called authorities but would not comment further.

Provincial police are monitoring the situation. A spokesperson said there are officers on the site of the protest.