BARRIE, ONT. The City of Barrie s mayor issued an emergency order to immediately close and fence off Meridian Place to stop the ongoing gatherings in the city s downtown. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman called the measure necessary following more than a month of protests. Earlier this week, the city said it was determined to develop a plan to put an end to the Barrie Freedom Rally that draws hundreds of people to Meridian Place to protest the government s strict lockdown measures. In a release Thursday, Lehman said, The gatherings that put people s lives at risk need to stop. I want to thank residents of Barrie who have stayed home to keep each other safe at this critical point in the pandemic. The city will continue to pursue additional steps to stop illegal gatherings and hold those responsible accountable.
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BARRIE, ONT. The City of Barrie plans to get tough on the anti-lockdown gatherings happening at Meridian Place each weekend. The protests bring hundreds of people together, many not wearing face masks or social distancing as per provincial requirements. In a release on Tuesday, the city said, These gatherings threaten efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in our community and may place further strain on our already stretched healthcare system. This past Saturday, police handed out multiple tickets and took one person into custody at the Barrie Freedom Rally where roughly 400 people gathered. Health officials with the Simcoe Muskoka health unit said they were working with police to step up enforcement of anyone not in compliance with the stay-at-home order.
BARRIE, ONT. Hundreds gathered in downtown Barrie on Saturday, fighting for civil liberties one day after the province imposed new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19. The now weekly Barrie Freedom Rally at Meridian Place drew out a large crowd today, despite outdoor gatherings currently limited to members of your household. I m here today to protest the ability of the police to stop citizens on their normal travels and question not only where they live and their name but where they are going and why, said Robert MacFarlane, one of the protesters. Barrie police, who have said they will not be using enhanced powers given to them Friday in order to enforce the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, said the crowd was largely peaceful. A total of eight provincial offence notices were handed out, one of those going to the event organizer.