Another group of cyclists stopped a convoy protest, this time in Edmonton
The convoy was protesting COVID-19 mandates on Saturday
Photo by: @EmmaJackson57Twenty protesters on bikes and foot set out on Saturday to disrupt a vehicle convoy driving into Edmonton’s downtown on Saturday, according to a report by the CBC. At 1:30 p.m. the counter protesters stopped the trucks at the end of River Valley Road, a long roadway that has no turn-around or exits for a kilometre.
The protesters were seemingly mocking the convoy, holding signs that said things like, “honk if you love vaccines” and “let the babies nap.” A protester, Jason Rockwell posted on Twitter that the group “decided to block one artery of the convoys today, and that we all have the right of assembly.”
What was once a counterprotest at River Valley Road and Fortway Drive has given way to free-flowing traffic after police involvement. #yeg #ableg #freedomconvoy #counterprotest pic.twitter.com/lTOybTiCzI
— Sarah Chew (@sarahsinthenews) February 12, 2022
The counter-protest only lasted an hour, following the arrival of Edmonton Police. Rockwell said he was surprised by the actions of the authorities to break up the counter-protest. The cyclist said they were told if they did not get off the road, they would be arrested and charged with mischief.
The police later made a statement about the counter protest. “Citizens were intentionally blocking and impeding traffic on River Valley Road and were asked to move onto the sidewalk to ensure their safety and allow traffic to flow,” a police spokesperson said, adding that the citizens were cooperative with the request.
As a result of today's convoy: pic.twitter.com/mB6egu96AU
— Edmonton Police (@edmontonpolice) February 13, 2022
This follows several counter protests in Vancouver, where cyclists blocked the way of incoming convoys.
The convoy truck driver who tried to run over a cyclist has been fired
On Feb. 5, a large group of cyclists halted that city’s anti-mandate protest in its tracks. As the trucker protest rolled toward downtown Vancouver it was met by several dozen cyclists and counter-protestors on foot. The counter-protest took place at the end of Terminal Ave. at Main St.
As police directed truckers to re-route, a roaming cat-and-mouse protest-counter-protest strategy unfolded, according to the Vancouver Police.
Protests continue in Ottawa Monday, although there are rumours that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be invoking the Emergency Act in an effort to disperse the convoy in the downtown are.