Hundreds gather in Fredericton to protest COVID-19 measures

FREDERICTON -

About 300 people honked horns and waved signs and Canadian flags near the New Brunswick legislature Friday to protest COVID-19 public health measures, during a convoy-style protest inspired by the trucker demonstrations across the country.

Erika Walls said she joined the protest in front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa two weeks ago and returned home to Fredericton to get the message out in opposition to pandemic-related restrictions.

"It's the segregation of having to show proof (of vaccination) and not being allowed to go anywhere and do anything and people getting fired," she said. "Health care and truckers have been affected by this. And it's gone on for too long."

Mike McHugh of Lincoln, N.B., who is unvaccinated, said he feels like he has been locked away for the last two years, adding that he wants an end to vaccine mandates.

"I hope to bring recognition to our cause and help the truckers in Ottawa and hopefully soon people will come to their senses and join us, and we can get rid of all the mandates," he said.

Many of the protesters refused to speak to reporters, saying they didn't trust the media to tell the truth.

Ontario's premier declared a state of emergency Friday in response to ongoing blockades in Ottawa and Windsor, Ont., warning of "severe" consequences for protesters who don't leave. Similar protests have occurred across the country and others are scheduled for this weekend.

Police in Fredericton barricaded a street in front of the provincial legislature Thursday night, and schools in the downtown closed in anticipation of the protest.

There were only about 120 people lining the sidewalks near the legislature around the start of the protest at 1 p.m., but those numbers swelled about an hour later when a convoy of vehicles arrived.

At one point, vehicles stopped at an intersection near the legislature and refused to move. Police stepped in and after about 10 minutes of negotiation, the vehicles started moving again. Many of the vehicles were covered in signs and flags and circled the block as they honked their horns.

Fredericton Deputy Police Chief Martin Gaudet told reporters later Friday that there had been no arrests and only about three motor vehicle offences.

City police brought in about 60 officers from other agencies and police forces across the province in an effort to keep unwanted vehicles away from downtown.

Gaudet said about 15 checkpoints had been set up across Fredericton.

"We let the cars and small trucks go by," Gaudet said. "The large trucks were not allowed to come into the city without a valid manifest, and that worked out very well."

He said there were a number of trucks already in the city, within the police perimeter.

"There was one vehicle that had some equipment that would lead us to believe that it could have been part of something a little larger," he said. "We had a very direct conversation with the driver and he chose to leave with his truck and his pallets and barbecues and so on."

Earlier this week, the provincial government adopted regulations that could lead to vehicles being seized and offenders receiving hefty fines and having their licences suspended.

The traffic was, for the most part, directed away from downtown businesses on Friday. Mayor Kate Rogers said businesses were co-operative and provided information on trucks that needed to make deliveries.

One man who lives near the protest, and who didn't want to be identified, said he thought the demonstration was small compared to the many other protests that have taken place outside the legislature over the last 20 years.

"The New Brunswick teachers union made more noise," he said. "This is more like Canada Day with all the flags."

Meanwhile, the New Brunswick Federation of Labour issued a statement Friday denouncing the "occupation" in Ottawa.

Federation president Daniel Legere said that while unions have fought for generations for the right to protest, the Ottawa event is not peaceful. He said residents and front-line workers have been bullied and harassed, and right-wing extremists are spreading messages that include racist hate.

"The New Brunswick Federation of Labour stands with labour unions from across the country to oppose these vile and hateful messages and condemn the ongoing harassment and violence against people of Ottawa," Legere wrote.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2022.