Several families took part in what they called a Freedom Rally in North Battleford Sunday afternoon. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

protest

Families gather for ‘Freedom Rally’ in North Battleford to protest COVID-19 restrictions

Nov 16, 2020 | 11:56 AM

Similar to other communities across Canada, some families gathered for a ‘Freedom Rally’ in North Battleford Sunday afternoon to express their concerns about COVID-19 restrictions they believe are taking away their rights.

Ten people took part in the event outside the North Battleford courthouse. The participants were not wearing masks, although they did appear to be social distancing between families.

One of the participants, who did not want to be named, said “we’re here today because our human rights are gone.

“Our human rights are being taken away from us one step at a time, slowly but surely,” he said. “People have to step up.”

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He said freedom of speech has been taken away because individuals can’t speak out to question the COVID-19 restrictions, or they will “get in trouble.”

“There are various people getting fired from their jobs because they say things that people don’t agree with,” he claimed. “And they [the government] are telling us we have to do something we don’t want to do – [whether it’s] masks or anything.”

He also questions why people are asked to follow mandates.

“We are not anti-maskers,” he said. “We are anti being told what to do when we don’t want to do it.”

The protester also blames the media for what he describes as putting fear in people’s eyes.

“There was no fear when there was the flu,” he said.

He said by having the rally he hopes the cause will gain more support.

As of Nov. 15, the rate of deaths related to COVID-19 in Canada was 29 per 100,000 population.

A North Battleford woman at Sunday’s rally, who also wouldn’t provide her name, said “it’s not normal to keep families apart.”

Participants learned about the rally through a social media posting.

“Let’s give it up for the 1st North Battleford Freedom Rally… let’s grow this rally and all the others,” Tamara Lavoie, a founder of the Facebook group said in a post.

She said there will be another rally in North Battleford next Sunday afternoon at the same location.

Effective today, mandatory masking in indoor public places will be extended to all Saskatchewan communities with populations of 5,000 people or greater. Health officials strongly recommend wearing a non-medical mask in the community, even if you have no symptoms. It is an additional measure you can take to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

For all public and private gatherings, the province recommends two-metres physical distancing should be observed when people from outside the extended household are present.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW