More protests are scheduled for Chatham and Wallaceburg this weekend, but these ones are against the COVID-19 lockdown.
Alice Lake, one of the organizers of the "End the Lockdown" protests, told Blackburn News opening up the economy in phases is not good enough and they want the entire lockdown "lifted now," claiming what is going on is "tyranny."
Lake claimed the lockdown is an overreach of power that is destroying lives and collapsing the economy. She said she wonders why there is a lockdown for COVID-19 when there wasn't one for SARS or H1N1. Lake also questions the "radical countermeasures" inspired by what she claims are flawed COVID-19 models and the "arbitrary laws" that are revoking basic human rights and freedoms.
"We question when the government has the authority to restrict the movement of healthy people and demand that we stay locked away," Lake said.
She added protesters are not conspiracy theorists, they just question government and corporate motives behind closing small businesses and churches and not large box retailers or cannabis retail stores. She also said the mixed messages from health officials are confusing and are not helping.
Lake said many people are also questioning the number of presumed deaths. She said if long term care deaths in Ontario during the pandemic are taken out of the equation, then the number of deaths across the province is similar to what it was before COVID-19.
"No one knows for certain because of what they're presuming," she said.
Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Health Dr. Colby said people are entitled to their own opinion but those opinions must be based on facts.
"I think anyone who believes that COVID-19 is some type of fabrication to exert some type of control over society really places a greater emphasis on their own opinion than the available facts," he said.
Chatham-Kent police said they are aware of Saturday's protests and will be monitoring both events in Chatham and Wallaceburg for public safety.
"We would like to encourage those attending to ensure that COVID precautions are being adhered to by wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing," said CKPS Public Information Officer Renee Cowell.
Lake said the protests won't be marches. They will be rallies and there could be more in the future.
The rallies are set for Saturday from noon until 2 p.m. at the Chatham Civic Centre and Fountain Park in Wallaceburg.
