Bernard Gauthier, one of the main organizers of the demonstration against the restrictions put in place to combat COVID-19, invited protesters on Sunday to leave Quebec at the end of the day.
During a speech delivered around 1 p.m., he then invited them to return to the Old Capital in two weeks, on the occasion of the closing of the carnival.
“We are going to demonstrate all day, the rest of us are going to leave in the evening, and then we are going to come back to close the Carnival,” the activist told the hundreds of people who came to listen to him, while hundreds of others continued to protest. demonstrate near the National Assembly.
“It’s a block of energy that we came to get this weekend, but there, the trucks, you have to understand that they are fathers and mothers of families who need to work during the week, but this weekend -end, we showed dad Legault that we are not cellars, we are fathers and mothers of families who want to protect their grandchildren, ”launched the trade unionist to the cheers of the crowd gathered near the Tourny fountain.
He invited governments to reflect in the meantime on the demands raised by the demonstrators.
“We demonstrated peacefully, at this time, we expect a return of the lift”, launched Bernard Gauthier, promising that the demonstrators will be many more numerous in two weeks.
“The media had lent us intentions,” he said, emphasizing the peaceful and family nature of the demonstration.
He added jokingly:
“I was supposed to fight with the Carnival guy, but the guy didn’t show up in the octagon. »
Mr. Gauthier’s speech was well received by the demonstrators gathered near the National Assembly who warmly applauded him.
On Saturday, several thousand people demonstrated in Quebec to denounce the health measures aimed at combating COVID-19. At one point, the parade of pedestrians and vehicles stretched over more than a kilometer in the middle of the afternoon on René-Lévesque Boulevard.
The SPVQ issued about twenty other statements of offense on Saturday: 11 for violations of municipal regulations and 10 for non-compliance with the Highway Safety Code. A 31-year-old man who was blocking traffic around 8:00 p.m. was also arrested and his vehicle towed.
The heavy vehicles immobilized on the edge of René-Lévesque were tolerated during the night, but the police were also present to ensure “that peace and good order are respected”.