Freedom protest disturbing more than just the peace, Calgary mayor says

Some residents in Calgary’s Beltline community are frustrated by ongoing weekly protests that take place on Saturdays where demonstrators are calling for an end to all public health restrictions and mandates.

However, that frustration has now spilled over into city council, where Mayor Jyoti Gondek and several councillors are calling out the Calgary Police Service for a lack of action.

Gondek sent out a series of tweets Saturday night calling the freedom protest a disruption to businesses and residents.

She also said the police are not enforcing the law.

“The weekly disruption this community faces is not a ‘protest.’ It’s a parade,” tweeted Gondek.

“Enforcement agencies have allowed it to grow. Telling residents and businesses to wait it out, equals shameful.”

She says the “festival” at Central Memorial Park has food stands and merchandise vendors that have no permits. Gondek criticized police by not enforcing bylaws.

“Enforcement must stand with the community,” she said/

Ward 8 councillor Courtney Walcott, who was unavailable for an interview on Sunday, also released a series of tweets saying counter-protesters are receiving unequal treatment for their demonstration.

“One group was met with aggression, the other, submission. If the intended outcome was non-violence, today was a failure,” Walcott tweeted.

KENNEY UNSURE WHAT PROTESTS ARE ABOUT

It’s been the same plan ever since it began – the group gathers at Central Memorial Park, before marching down 17 Avenue holding signs as well as Canadian and American flags.

Businesses and residents are now meeting with the freedom protesters head-on, calling for them to leave and stop their activities in the community.

“I’m not sure what the protests are about, because Alberta effectively does not have any more public health measures,” said Premier Jason Kenney on Sunday.

“They’ve all been lifted some time ago.”

Kenney, who has been a target of the freedom protests, where participants are calling for him to resign, says everyone has been fed up with COVID-19 public health measures.

“I would suggest that maybe people could find more productive ways of expressing their frustration, but maybe here’s an idea – how about we all just move on from the frustration of COVID?” said Kenney.

“How about we leave it in the rear view mirror?”

PROTESTS AT ODDS

Calgary Freedom Central, a Facebook community of more than 35,000 people calling for “freedom” in Alberta, is also calling for an end to federal travel restrictions and mandates.

One of the event’s organizers Ryan Audette told protesters Saturday that the counter-protest is a concerted effort by municipal politicians and activists to end their demonstrations, which were deemed legal last week by the police chief.

“People that are leading this blockade last week are from (Black Lives Matter). We recognize them,” said Audette.

“They have been bothering us on and off for the last two years. This has nothing to do with protecting the Beltline – they are not real protesters.”

POLICE BECOMING AGGRESSIVE, COUNTER-PROTESTERS SAY

Anti-racism activist Taylor McNallie, who participated in Saturday’s rally, posted a video of the event that she said shows police officers pushing counter-protesters from the street with their bikes.

In the clip, one unidentified woman is thrown to the ground, before getting back up.

Calgary Police Service says there were about 2,000 people participating in protests Sunday.

“It is important to be cognizant that these demonstrations occurred over several hours and individual photos and short video clips do not always portray the complete the picture,” read a statement from a spokesperson.

Police say officers were unsuccessful when trying to negotiate with counter-protesters, but they formed a blockade, disrupting traffic.

“Opposing protests became involved in a confrontation, creating a block, for more than an hour. After receiving limited cooperation and recognizing the volatility of the situation, officers had to take action to avoid further escalation of the crowd.”

The premier reiterated that it’s not the province who is policing these protests.

“It’s not for the provincial government to dictate police operations,” said Kenney.

“That is up to Calgary Police Service. They are accountable to the police commission.”