This weekend downtown Vancouver was the scene of multiple clashes between anti-vaccine mandate trucker "convoy" protesters and counter-protesters, with photos and video on social media showing a variety of conflicts, but throughout it all, Vancouver police didn't issue a single ticket.
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 offenses, like the city's noise bylaw, which would cover the use of vehicle horns.
"Tickets were not issued to people in the vehicle convoy who honked horns or committed minor infractions, nor were they issued to counter-protesters who stood in traffic, laid down on the road, or committed minor infractions," Cst. Steve Addison tells Vancouver Is Awesome in an email.
"A degree of civil disobedience is part [and] parcel with lawful protest," says Addision.
At the same time, no criminal charges have been laid following the protest, though that may change.
"A number of investigations are underway," Addison says. "That number could grow if people choose to come forward to report incidents."
While multiple videos online show clashes between the two groups on Saturday, Addison explains the videos are of little help on their own.
"We really need anyone who is the victim or witness of a crime to contact police to make a report," he says. "We can’t always determine from an online video where an incident took place, when it took place, whether a crime occurred, or even if the people involved want to be part of a police process."
There's been at least one reported incident and police are following up. Addison didn't specify what that incident was, but notes there could be more reports forthcoming.
