For the third straight week, both sides of the migrant debate have been out in numbers showing their support for their respective views in Lethbridge.
Yellow vest protesters held their fourth rally in the city on Saturday. The pro-immigration rally, meanwhile, set up right next to them in front of city hall again.
The former is calling on the federal government to step up for the oil and gas sector and for Canada to step away from the UN migrant pact.
Last week, Global News reported the presence of white nationalists taking part in Lethbridge’s yellow vest rally, but the group doesn’t feel that should discount their message.
“We have similar concerns,” said protestor Tammy Teneyck. “We are not racist. We are not Neo-Nazis. Maybe there are some that stand and feel the same way about some issues that we share in common, but that does not describe us. That does not define us.”
WATCH: UN agreement, delayed pipelines protested at yellow vest rallies across Alberta
The other side doesn’t see it that way.
“When you allow hate within your movement, when you allow a philosophy that invalidates other human beings, then it affects the whole thing and it’s pointless,” said migrant supporter Karen Hann, who added that she shares their concern for Canada’s energy sector.
“I truly hope that if the yellow vest movement wants to continue, that they will completely disavow these things and remove those people from their ranks,”
In Edmonton, police were called to rallies where protestors in both camps fought on the grounds of the legislature.
People wearing memorabilia of the far-right group Soldiers of Odin have also been seen attending rallies in that city.
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