Downton Edmonton was packed with pedestrians and vehicles as protestors descended on the Alberta Legislature Saturday.
A trucker convoy from the nearby town of Acheson tied up traffic in support of the national convoy that arrived in Ottawa.
Driving on Anthony Henday Drive, Yellowhead Trail, Gateway Boulevard and roadways in the downtown core was painfully slow most of the afternoon.
Melanie Switzer, one of the volunteers of the Edmonton event said they were gathering to commemorate the arrival of the “freedom convoy 2022” in Ottawa.
“I think it’s gone beyond people fighting to get rid of mandates, it’s gone beyond people fighting against the vaccines and it’s become this beautiful display of unity and this gigantic, enormous way of hope which I think we could all really use right now,” Switzer said.
“For two years now, many of us have been discriminated against, locked down, segregated, depressed, masked up and people have lost hope in that process so I think what we’re seeing is a fight against all of that.”
Organizers of the Edmonton rally expected upwards of 6,000 people to attend.
Albert Health Services said as of 4:45 p.m. there were no interruptions to EMS services from the convoy.
The convoy and traffic disruption is expected to last until 6 p.m.