On the heels of charges being laid against the organizer of last weekend’s freedom rally in Chatham, the municipality’s top doctor says he has concerns.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby says the issue of masks and COVID restrictions have become very divisive.
“Really I can’t speculate on what people are going to do,” Dr. Colby says. “But there seems to be a polarized view that some people are adopting, denying the very existence of this pandemic, and I don’t really understand that way of thinking.”
A 32-year-old Wallaceburg woman is facing charges under the Reopening Ontario Act for allegedly exceeding the number of people allowed at an outdoor gathering.
Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire says police and municipal officials were trying to work with the rally organizers to help things go smoothly.
“Providing people were observing the public health guidelines and restrictions that were in place and continue to demonstrate peacefully, there were no problems,” Shropshire says. “If police have laid charges, my understanding is they did not respect the guidelines and there’s consequences for that. It’s not like we’re out to try and get people, we’re trying to educate people in advance and trying to get people to take reasonable precautions so we don’t have activities that are going to encourage the spread of COVID.”
The rally organizer is set to appear in court in January and if convicted, could face a minimum of $10,000 in fines.
