SYDNEY, N.S. — Five people walked down Esplanade in Sydney on Saturday morning in protest of government-mandated COVID-19 measures.
The March for Freedom was the first protest like this in Cape Breton, which co-organizer Paul MacDonald said it wasn't an anti-mask rally.
The Canadian Armed Forces veteran said they were marching in support of people having the "freedom to choose" to follow health safety protocols instead of being forced to.
"We're here to stop the restrictions and to support allowing small businesses to stay open," MacDonald said.
"My sign says it all. Everyone's lives matter. These restrictions (and mandated health safety protocols) are a serious infringement on our charter of rights and freedoms."
MacDonald said he developed a respiratory illness due to tear gas during his service in an armoured car regiment with the Canadian army and now can't wear a mask.
REFUSED SERVICE
The Sydney resident said he's been approached three times in businesses for not wearing a mask. Once, it was a restaurant and he was refused service. MacDonald said a staff member at a bank asked him to prove he had a medical exemption for not wearing a mask.
"I said, 'You don't have the right to ask that. It's a violation of my human rights,'" MacDonald said.
"That's what I fought and served for. That's why I'm here today."
Darlene LeBlanc from Gabarus said she's been making signs since the summer in hopes there would be a protest like this in Cape Breton.
"I'm here because I appreciate my freedom and I don't want to lose my rights or civil liberties. I feel these masks and all these draconian measures are taking away our freedoms little by little by little," she said.
"And far as I'm concerned, the government is seeing how far people will comply with what they want, even though the evidence is not there that this virus is as deadly as they're saying."
EXPECTED MORE
MacDonald said they did expect more people at the protest and believes a member of the Facebook group "sabotaged" attendance by posting negating remarks about the rally.
However, he and others at the rally believe peacefully protesting publicly will encourage others with similar views to do the same.
"I hope this will bring more people together," said Gord Thorne from Sydney. "I know there are more people out there against this stuff but they're afraid to open their mouths because they get chastised for it."
PROTEST CONTROVERSY
News of the protest garnered some backlash from people online who support mandated public health directives during the pandemic.
Sydney resident Ross Hunter said he contacted municipal and provincial government representatives, as well as the Sydney Downtown Development Association, with his concerns.
"It could be a potential health risk as we know it only takes one person to start the spread here in Cape Breton," Hunter said.
"I just thought this was selfish and irresponsible. In all of the mask debates we have to focus on humanity and respect for others. This really disappointed me."
