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Massive crowd gathers on Sunset Beach in Vancouver (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Some people were there to celebrate 4/20 but many others were anti-mask demonstrators.
Elana Shepert
Elana Shepert
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A large crowd gathered on Vancouver's Sunset Beach yesterday and while some people celebrate 4/20, others were anti-mask demonstrators.Photo via gcelmainis / Instagram

A massive crowd gathered on Vancouver's Sunset Beach yesterday despite the provincial health order prohibiting gatherings and events. 

While some of the people who gathered on the beach celebrated 4/20, others were protesting the province-wide restrictions related to COVID-19. 

Vancouver police spokesperson Cst. Steve Addison told Vancouver Is Awesome that there were many people on the waterfront, "including families, gatherings, and some protest groups."

When asked how many tickets officers handed out to people gathering on the beach, Addison said the VPD doesn't collect statistics in real-time. However, he added that officers were patrolling beaches and monitoring the gatherings and protests. "Our officers helped reunite a lost child with its parents and arrested a man who was trying to start fights on the beach," said Addison.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Greg Celmainis (@gcelmainis)

Anti-mask demonstrators on Sunset Beach in Vancouver

In an Instagram post, Glen Wells mentioned that the 4/20 event in "Vancouver started off quiet and then it started to grow." In response, someone said that the event "got hijacked by morons" and that they had to leave fast.

Anti-mask demonstrator Chris Sky gave a speech, calling the gathering a "freedom rally."

Organizers of the annual 4/20 demonstration in the city instructed people not to gather, however. They stated that there would be no "official gathering" for the big day this year.

Addison added that public safety is the main priority of the VPD. That said, as the weather improves and more people get outside, police will "look to our partners at the municipal and provincial level – including bylaws, Park Rangers, liquor inspectors and public health officers – to assist in creating a more coordinated approach to discourage unsafe public gatherings.

"This may include increased enforcement, but also more education and information about social distancing and face coverings."

Since the start of 2021, Addison said the VPD has issued more than $108,000 in fines to COVID-19 rule-breakers.