The Vancouver Art Gallery and surrounding streets will host two very different demonstrations this weekend, and one counter-protest.
Community Over Convoys (COC), a group formed earlier this month to counter recent anti-vaccine mandate protests in Vancouver has warned its followers of a large "freedom rally" planned this Saturday (Feb. 26). The “freedom rally” is expected to take place outside the CTV Vancouver newsroom on Robson Street, not far from the art gallery where a large Ukraine anti-war rally is to be held also.
In total, there are three groups expected to be out in the downtown core this weekend, the “freedom rally” participants, members of the COC opposing them and the Ukraine anti-war demonstrators.
“We recognize this isn't great optics,” COC wrote in a statement on social media, simultaneously asking their supporters to do their best to avoid conflict.
The Ukraine anti-war rally takes place as Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, unleashing the largest ground war in Europe since World War II. The act sparked many demonstrations across the province and around the world.
