Back at the Stuart Park rally

Hi Kelowna,

We gathered at McCurdy Place again.

Only a few vehicles. I left before they did. It truly is sad and embarrassing to watch at this point. I also had a few errands to run.

I got downtown and had a conversation with a security guard working. He told me that he doesn't feel safe on Saturdays anymore. The "Freedom Fighters" are intimidating and harass anyone in a mask.

That struck me. Even security doesn't feel safe.

The RCMP were in attendance this week. Two officers stood on the sidewalk at City Hall with their masks on and observed. One told me to stop swearing.

There you go, Jonathan. I do curse them out. He also told me he was an innocent bystander. I reminded him he was a cop. If you carry a gun and have the power to use it, you are not an innocent bystander.

The speaker this week talked about living off the land and growing your own food.

I yelled back:

If you aren't allowed in grocery stores, I guess you kinda have to. He was actually really boring.

To be honest most of the speakers are. The crowd of counter protesters was at 10. We have grown. That was amazing. Thank you. Wear a mask. Social distance. No violation of the Public Health Order.

Earlier this week I was told of a group of people who stormed in a Shoppers Drug Mart without masks. They had cameras and were there to prove some point about freedom. I stopped by to talk to the staff. Yep, just like I thought. The photos on my phone of the people from Stuart Park were the people who stormed in.

So, folks say they have a right to protest and spread their propaganda.

Do they have the right to harass people trying to do their jobs? Do they have the right to ignore Public Health Orders because they want to make a video for YouTube and show how "brave" they are?

They are taking this movement beyond Stuart Park and waving signs by the bridge. They are actively harming our community. They are terrorizing folks.

It doesn't feel good to go to work and have to worry if today is the day anti maskers decide to target your place of employment. And that is happening.

And the RCMP have better things to do than deal with this. We finally have a Superintendent that seems to care about real issues and her time is being wasted with anti maskers.

What a waste.

Anyway, I'll be at City Hall at noon on Saturday.

Maybe you'll stop by and introduce yourself.

Heather Friesen