Heavy police presence at protest (9 photos, updated)

Approximately 12 individuals gathered on Huron Street opposite the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) port of entry beginning at 12 p.m. Saturday.

The group of concerned citizens, protesting federal and provincial government COVID-19 vaccination mandates, carrying signs, held a peaceful protest.

“For me it’s about getting freedoms back and having freedom of choice (regarding vaccinations and freedom of movement)," said participant Scott Mason, speaking to SooToday. 

I don’t think the government was elected to tell us what we can and can’t do. Certainly there are laws that need to be abided by but I think this is going a little too far.”

“I’m not anti-vax by any means. I understand some people want it for their own personal reasons. I don’t feel it should be enforced on people. Although it’s not illegal not to have it (COVID vaccination shots) they’ve taken away so many freedoms from those that don’t want to get it, that it’s essentially forced upon them or you lose your freedoms and your rights…like not being able to go to a movie theatre because you didn’t get a shot.”

Mason questioned the efficacy of COVID vaccines.

“The shot itself doesn’t prevent the spread of COVID. What’s the point? In the beginning it seemed like a good idea but the more research that’s been put into it, it doesn’t seem like a good idea anymore. And you’ve also got to  ask ‘where does it end?’ You’ve got two shots, then a booster. Then they’re going to have a another booster, then another booster,” said Mason, comparing COVID-19 vaccination to non-mandatory flu vaccinations.

“To me (governmental COVID-19 vaccination mandates), it’s over reaching.”

Mason said he is skeptical of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s stated long term plan to lift COVID restrictions.

“Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau, I believe, it’s just lip service. It’s just ‘we’re going to say what we can to appease the masses.’ They say anything they can to get out of whatever situation they put themselves in.”

“When it comes to the shot, freedom of choice. The mandates are over reaching, I believe, what the government can tell me.”      

Sault Police - with at least six vehicles and several officers at the scene - temporarily closed Huron Street to vehicular traffic between Queen Street West and Albert Street West while ensuring a motorist with the group of protesters moved his vehicle from the roadway.

The motorist's vehicle was parked on the roadway immediately north of the entrance to the CBSA border crossing.

Traffic accessing the border crossing was not impeded.

The group of citizens started to gather to protest governmental COVID-19 vaccination mandates beginning Thursday. 

Police have been on scene since then to monitor the situation, though Saturday's police presence in the area is believed to be the heaviest so far.

“We’ve been monitoring activity here for the last two days,” said Sault Police Service Acting Inspector Ben Bolduc, who acknowledged the crowd assembled has been holding peaceful protests.

As for Saturday's gathering, Bolduc said “we had a call of an individual in a pickup truck parked on Huron Street blocking a lane just before Customs. This individual was warned multiple times to identify himself under the Highway Traffic Act, which he refused…after being warned the individual left on his own free will. The police did not have to arrest.”

Bolduc said the incident was the first since Thursday.

Referring to the injunction for anti-COVID vaccination mandate protestors to disperse at the Windsor-Detroit border crossing, Bolduc said “we don't want to get to that point. We’re just pre-planning to make sure we don’t get to that point (at the International Bridge).”