(Quebec) Unlike Ottawa, it was dead calm on Parliament Hill in Quebec City on Friday night. The kickoff of the demonstration against health measures planned for the evening has been canceled, confirmed one of the representatives of the “freedom convoy” present on the spot. The demonstrators meet this Saturday at 11 a.m.
Posted at 4:25 p.m.
Updated at 7:58 p.m.
The police intervention in the city center of the federal capital, besieged for 22 days, does not modify the plans, insisted on specifying the most famous organizer of the convoy, Bernard Gauthier, in a video posted on Facebook Friday evening.
“We’re doing a little live, I would say, almost urgently. It’s necessary, the panic is over! “, he launched. “We see what is happening in Ottawa. It’s very sad, what’s happening in Ottawa, but what’s going to happen in Quebec, it’s going to happen. Nothing changes for us. »
At his side, Kevin Grenier tried to reassure his supporters. “Stop fooling around, stop stressing,” he insisted, pleading that he had all the necessary authorizations to hold the demonstration, a “family event”, and that he was discussing with the City Police Department de Québec (SPVQ) and the Sûreté du Québec.
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, THE SUN
The presence of a small stage for making speeches was tolerated by the authorities of Quebec.
According to their program, the organizers have planned a series of shows until Sunday 5 p.m., but they have not made an official request for the holding of a “festive event” of this kind, indicated the City of Quebec. The event is therefore always considered as a demonstration, during which a scene is tolerated only to make speeches and play a little music.
The SPVQ has exchanges with the organizers on the content of the weekend program which, for example, provided for the performance of a DJ starting at 7 p.m. Friday.
We are in constant communication with the organizers, as we were during the last event. This subject has been discussed with them, and we are in the process of finding a way through.
David Pelletier, spokesperson for the SPVQ
The demonstration was to start at 5 p.m., but barely a dozen people were there at the agreed time. One of the convoy representatives told them later that Friday night’s event was canceled due to a dispute with the authorities.
The appointment was finally set for 11 a.m. Saturday. Convoys of trucks – from the North Shore, Saguenay and Beauce in particular – are expected. Keven Bilodeau, leader of the “Convoy de la Beauce”, launched a fundraising campaign and promised $250 in gas coupons to truckers heading to Quebec City this weekend.
PHOTO PATRICE LAROCHE, THE SUN
A few demonstrators were present Friday evening on Parliament Hill, in Quebec.
In addition to musical performances, speeches are on the program on Saturday – including that of Amélie Paul, a well-known figure in the conspiracy movement. The organizers set up a scene made from a trailer in front of parliament.
Only a section of Avenue Honoré-Mercier, in the area of the Tourny fountain, was closed to traffic. Many SPVQ police officers were present on Parliament Hill at the end of the afternoon.
According to a source familiar with the exchanges between the police force and the government, the police have so far the impression that the mobilization is less important than during the first demonstration of the “freedom convoy” two weeks ago .
Increased powers for the police
Anxious to avoid a siege like in Ottawa, the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, amended municipal regulations to give more powers to the police in anticipation of this second demonstration in two weeks.
PHOTO ERICK LABBÉ, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec
The SPVQ can now “make all decisions regarding traffic, parking and street closures”, without the imprimatur of City Hall. This change would be “permanent”. It allows the chief of police to make decisions in the heat of the moment, according to the evolution of the demonstration, but also to decree “preventive” closures.
The City has also decided to suspend the right to cook outdoors and consume alcohol in public places. The consumption of alcohol in parks had been authorized in Quebec at the start of the pandemic by Régis Labeaume. This right will be restored, perhaps in the spring, according to the mayor.
“Good collaboration” two weeks ago
Even if Bruno Marchand pleaded that the right to demonstrate was respected, the organizers of the “freedom convoy” condemned these new measures.
Two weeks ago, they held a first demonstration which, on the whole, went well.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Demonstration against health measures in Quebec, February 5
During a weekend, a few dozen trucks had blocked the lanes of René-Lévesque Boulevard eastbound. The SPVQ’s plan was to ensure that the demonstrators did not further impede traffic. The police force had warned that its tolerance had a limit and that the heavy goods vehicles had to leave at 5 p.m. Sunday. The truckers had left the scene uneventfully, meeting for a second demonstration.
The SPVQ had made three arrests and distributed around a hundred statements of offense related to municipal by-laws and the Highway Safety Code. A vehicle had been towed.
The director of the SPVQ, Denis Turcotte, had underlined the “good collaboration” between police and demonstrators. They have once again exchanges about the demonstration of this weekend.
The organizers of the “freedom convoy” do not grant interviews and disapprove of the work of the media. The relaxations in the health measures announced by Quebec over the past two weeks are insufficient according to them.
They are against the maintenance of the obligation for students to wear the mask at school and they fear that the vaccine passport, the use of which will be completely abandoned as of March 14, will be imposed again. They demand an end to the health emergency. Above all, they have challenged the leadership of Prime Minister François Legault since the start of the pandemic.
With the collaboration of Gabriel Béland, The Press