The Kelly Lake Cree Nation took down a highway blockade near the Alberta-B.C. border Saturday because of a close call with angry and dangerous drivers, band spokesman Clayton Anderson said.

Anderson said he was walking toward a vehicle at the blockade on Highway 52, about 180 kilometres southeast of Chetwynd, in northeastern B.C., when "this guy just steps on the gas and practically runs me over."

He was nicked, Anderson said, and then "these two big rigs and a pickup sped through here and literally just about running over my people."

The protesters were stopping oil and gas service trucks to express concerns about the volume of exploration work in the area, Anderson said Friday.

"We've talked about it to death and something's got to be done about it," he said, such as upgrading the narrow road or building a bypass around the community.

The blockade was to remain until Monday to mark National Aboriginal Day, as other aboriginals marked the day with marches and celebrations, but was taken down on Saturday.

The band had notified oil and gas companies operating in the area of its intentions, and many of them agreed to stay off the road until the blockade ended, Anderson said.

Most oil workers had been extremely understanding, he said. Residents and other drivers had been allowed to pass through.

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