Car horns could be heard honking in agreement as they passed the dozens protesting on the steps of the Vernon courthouse Saturday.
The Yellow Vest Movement, which started in France as a way to protest government, quickly gained momentum and spread to countries around the world. Canada’s Yellow Vest protest focuses on several issues including: anti-tax, sovereignty, immigration, free speech, free press, energy, reform and peace.
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In Vernon, protests began around 11a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, with a second wave of demonstrators arriving at 2p.m. One protester, who asked to only be referred to by his first name for the privacy of his family, said he joined the protest after seeing it promoted online.
“It’s a beautiful thing to watch Canadians come together to fight for the rights that our ancestors fought for so we can have our freedom: our freedom of speech and our way of life and our quality of life,” said Warren. “I’m not an educated man but I do know what is right and what is wrong and what our government is is doing to us, to our veterans, to our seniors, is wrong.”
He said that he felt the need to protest because of his personal connection, honouring his grandfather, a war veteran.
“Our veterans fought for our rights and it is our duty as Canadians to uphold those rights. We all must come together and get this garbage out of our country. I’ve had enough. Our freedom of speech is being taken away: we are being told what we can and cannot wear and what we can and cannot say. The people of Canada are nice people but even the nicest people, if they’re pushed too far, fight back and that’s what we’re doing.”
Protester’s hope is that people use the yellow vest as a sign of protest anytime — not just at the protests themselves. The movement is not aligned with any political party. Though they said they support legal immigration, they are calling for an end to illegal and “irregular” immigration.
For more information, visit Yellow Vest Canada-BC on Facebook.
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