Calgary police brief council on state of ongoing Beltline protests

The Calgary Police Service briefed city council Tuesday morning regarding the weekly protests taking place in the Beltline that are drawing the ire of some residents.

For several weekends, demonstrators have gathered in the neighbourhood, protesting against vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 health measures.

The excessive noise, blocked roads and limited parking is starting to wear thin on Beltline residents and several city councillors.

On Twitter, Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner said "we’re being made to look the fool" and that she is "spinning with frustration" as a result of the protests.

Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott also vented his frustration in a recent Twitter thread, stating the protests "clog Beltline streets, hurt businesses, and intimidate residents."

In an interview with CTV Morning Live Calgary ahead of Tuesday’s council meeting, CPS Chief Mark Neufeld acknowledged how frustrated residents in the Beltline must be with these protests and the police service is fully engaged in the protests.

"The protests themselves are by default lawful," said Neufeld. "There can be unlawful acts within the context of the protest and the protest itself, as we have seen in Ottawa and Coutts.  So we are monitoring what's going on locally here and looking at the authorities that we have and using those in the appropriate situations."