A protest against COVID-19 requirements is expected to arrive in Victoria Monday, putting the city’s residents and leaders on edge.
The area around the legislature has been the site of numerous protests the last few weeks, with numbers escalating every weekend.
However, Victoria police are issuing a notice to residents who may be concerned about the upcoming protests in the area, saying “safe, peaceful and lawful protests will be protected” but that officers will be on hand to respond to any issues as they arise.
A video posted by one of the leaders of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa and a member of Canada-Unity.com, James Bauder, stated that a westbound convoy will descend on the B.C. capital on Monday.
“Enough is enough,” Bauder says in the video. “We’re not taking it anymore.”
He also asks anyone with semis or motor homes to head to B.C. as they “will be occupying that area for months.”
Businesses in the downtown area are concerned about the size of the event and the noise.
“You just have to listen to the horns and listen to the megaphone verbal in the background constantly,” Rich Becker, who manages a few businesses in the area, told Global News.
“I mean, it gets to you.”
Victoria city councillors said they have every confidence in the police service that any protest will be peaceful and lawful.
“We’ve learned a lot,” Coun. Stephen Andrew said about what happened during the convoy in Ottawa. “We will not be allowing that to take place here.”
In a video message posted online, Victoria police Chief Del Manak said any dangerous acts of unlawful activity “will be met with de-escalation and enforcement.”
At this point, it is unclear though if the convoy will draw as many protesters, given the fact that provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced on Thursday that the provincial mask mandate is no longer in place as of 12:01 a.m. Friday and the B.C. vaccine card will be dropped on April 8.
However, some protesters already at the legislature on Thursday said they don’t think the announcement goes far enough.
Derrick Lester told Global News he will be out protesting “until (the mandates) are totally lifted.”
B.C.’s minister of public safety, Mike Farnworth, has said while protests are allowed in Canada, “occupations are not,” so it remains to be seen what might happen on Monday.
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