An anti-vaccine mandate 'freedom' convoy slated to travel through Metro Vancouver this weekend may depart out of a couple of different cities before ending with a demonstration at the Canada-U.S. border.
While protestors were originally planning to hold a "Global News Rally on Saturday (Feb. 19), organizer James Davison wrote in a Facebook post that the group is pivoting its plan to the border.
"The convoy is still a go but we are going to 176th," he wrote, adding that "all hands must be on deck."
Action4Canada hasn't stated where the convoy will commence or if it will follow the Feb. 12 route. However, a couple of flyers are circulating with one showing a route departing out of Langley and the other stating that a convoy will meet in a parking lot at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver at 10 a.m.
On Feb. 12 a group of anti-vaccine mandate protesters headed to the Surrey border crossing. The protester's schedule had them depart Chilliwack at 10 a.m. between the Tim Hortons and Kal Tire at the Lickman Exit. Following this, the convoy merged onto the Trans Canada Highway heading west and then took Exit 53 to Highway 15. Participants then headed southbound and then drive to 8th Avenue and 176 Street which leads to the Pacific Highway border crossing.
But it appears the other "Freedom Convoy" is scheduled to depart from the Colossus Cineplex Cinemas in Langley at 10:30 a.m.
Surrey RCMP spokesperson Cnst. Sarbjit K. Sangha told Vancouver Is Awesome in a phone interview that police are monitoring the situation but aren't releasing specific details about their plans.
"We've been planning since the start of last week," she explained. "At this point, we have checkpoints in place. We have contingencies and we are monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis."
Police are checking all commercial vehicles that are going through the area daily and not just when protests are scheduled, added Sangha.
On Feb. 12, a handful of vehicles made their way through police barricades. During the blockade 16 people were arrested over three days for mischief and intimidation, she said.
The federal government invoked the Emergencies Act this week to bring an end to anti-mandate protests and blockades in Ottawa and across the country. This is the first time the Emergencies Act has been invoked since it came into force in 1988.
A previous "freedom" convoy demonstration on Feb. 5 in downtown Vancouver was the scene of multiple clashes between anti-vaccine mandate trucker protesters and counter-protesters, with photos and video on social media showing a variety of conflicts.
The Vancouver Police Department was on the ground throughout the Feb. 5 protest, and ended up arresting five people in relation to incidents on the scene, but kept from issuing tickets related to any bylaw offences, like the city's noise bylaw, which would cover the use of vehicle horns. One trucker lost his job following the protest after a video of him rolling a semi-truck into a cyclist was shared online.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz had some choice words for Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart about a statement the mayor made in advance of the demonstration.
With files from Brendan Kergin and the Canadian Press.
