End of sanitary measures demanded | A handful of protesters demonstrate in front of the National Assembly

(Quebec) Framed by a major security device, a handful of demonstrators gathered early Thursday evening in front of the National Assembly to demand an end to health measures.

But other opponents were expected.

Alerted by the incidents that took place in Ottawa, the police forces who deployed a security perimeter during the day around the Parliament Building had succeeded, at least until then, in containing the crowds and avoiding a possible blockage by heavyweight.

Opponents of vaccination and health measures, in particular truckers, are indeed aiming to storm the perimeter of the National Assembly, where the Carnival will also take place nearby from Friday.

It was reported that a convoy of several dozen vehicles from Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean had stopped at Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, at the exit of the Laurentides wildlife reserve, rather than heading to Quebec.

Among the twenty protesters gathered in front of the parliament, some waved Canadian flags. One of the posters read: no to dictators.

The esplanade in front of the parliament has been completely closed to traffic. But in the surrounding streets, we sometimes saw vans driving around with flags and a few vehicles honking their horns.

City of Quebec tank trucks, usually used to water green spaces, were parked two by two to serve as rams at several intersections.

They were found in particular at the corner of avenue Honoré-Mercier, which leads to the parliament, but also lower on rue Saint-Louis, in Old Quebec, and higher on Grande-Allée.

Retractable barriers have also been erected on the street behind the parliament.

Prime Minister François Legault spoke with the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, concerning the coordination of the authorities, on this weekend of the start of the carnival.

Via Twitter, Mr. Marchand said he was “very pleased” with the call and that they will stay in touch over the weekend.

Everything will be done to prevent “citizens’ activities from being affected, including attendance at the Carnival, restaurants and hotels,” said Mr. Legault.

“We will not tolerate any mayhem,” he had launched in the morning.

“Citizens must be able to function normally. Society must continue to operate normally, ”he added at a press conference in Sherbrooke in the afternoon.

“We will not tolerate any overflow, any violation of municipal regulations, any form of intimidation or violence, let’s be very clear on that,” added the Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault.

The opposition did not manage to know, however, what the strategy will be to avoid an occupation or a prolonged blockade of the Old Capital.

“I haven’t heard what she’s going to do to prevent the trucks from jamming Quebec,” said Liberal MP Jean Rousselle.

“We cannot afford to experience the same situation as in Ottawa. Quebec cannot be paralyzed for several days. Can the minister assure us that the Ottawa scenario will not happen here, in Quebec? »