Victoria police establish 'access points' ahead of planned COVID protests
CBC
Victoria police say they are limiting vehicle access to the neighbourhood near the British Columbia legislature ahead of anticipated protests.
In a statement Saturday, police said they will establish "controlled access points'' in the James Bay area that limits traffic to local vehicles only.
They did not give details on how long these controlled access points would last.
Police said they support the rights of Canadians to safe, peaceful and lawful protests, but added that protesters can travel to the area on foot, bicycle or transit.
Previous weeks of ongoing protests have had "significant and unlawful impact on residents and businesses in James Bay and the B.C. Legislature area," the statement said.
It also said related protests in other cities have seen escalations, including confrontations between protesters and police.
A video posted on social media earlier this month showed a procession of vehicles on the way from Ottawa to Victoria, with people preparing to stay for months to conduct multiple rolling protests.
This drew sharp criticism from Premier John Horgan. During a March 11 news conference, he said those involved need to "get a hobby" and "give their head a shake.''
B.C. lifted its mask mandate earlier this month and plans to stop its COVID-19 vaccine passport program in April, although the province's top doctor said the measures could be reinstated if there is a surge in cases.
This story is a collaboration between the Investigative Journalism Foundation and CBC Saskatchewan.
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