Residents opposing COVID-19 restrictions gather at Stuart Park

Photo: Laura Brookes

A group of Kelowna residents gathered at Stuart Park on Wednesday morning to host an 'End the Lockdown' public demonstration.

Just over 20 people showed up for the event at 11 a.m., hosted by the "Common Law Education and Rights Initiative" (CLEAR) to oppose COVID-19 restrictions. 

Group vice-chairman David Lindsay says the intention was to join in solidarity with public demonstrations of a similar nature that have occurred in Vancouver and other parts of the world. 

In a press release which circulated prior to the event, the group outlined its belief that governments are instilling "an unjustified false sense of mass fear and panic in our society."

"There is no pandemic – it is a Scamdemic," read the release. 

It goes on to state the COVID-19 pandemic is "self-serving to those who stand to benefit the most," and that Vitamin C, not vaccines, have eradicated all viruses known to mankind since the 1940s.

Attendees spoke about how these are trying times for Canadians, asserting their need to "stand up for our rights now," and compared media coverage of the pandemic to an act of terrorism. 

They held up signs with the words "Proud "Yahoo" for Freedom," "END the Lockdown," "Anti pro-Terrorism," and "Quarantine the Sick not the Healthy." 

Health officials, meanwhile, have credited physical distancing efforts and COVID-19 restrictions for keeping virus deaths and hospitalizations low in B.C.

Health Minister Adrian Dix, while discussing Tuesday how B.C. successfully flattened the curve, said the lower virus numbers in recent weeks "shows us what happens when we all join the fight, and join across B.C., we made a difference, we made a very big difference. One that has kept most of us healthy."