No flags for protesters

Re. Adam Fischer's letters No one 'took' the flag (Castanet, June 22)

What's really truly disheartening is there are still folks who think the “Freedom Convoy" was ever an anti-mandate movement and not an attempt at dismantling democracy.

It was led by people with ties to neo-fascist groups (Proud Boys and Yellow Vests and separatists). Did you not see the swastikas, rebel flags, Trump banners, F*** Trudeau signs or the upside down Canadian flags? Not the banners of a peaceful legit protest. And even after organizers thought that was bad for optics and had the flags put away, the flag bearers were still there.

The only federal mandate was for the fully vaccinated to come into Canada from the United States, even though to get south (as a tourist or trucker), the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security required you to be fully vaccinated. So, if you were already south, you were vaccinated and coming north there was no problem. Even if you broke U.S. law, you could still get back to Canada with a negative test and quarantine.

The other mandates were provincial. So why did domestic "terrorists" hold 12,000 innocent people hostage in Ottawa? What would have happened in a serious medical situation when EMTs couldn't get in?

If thousands of Indigenous protesters, pipeline protestors, old-growth logging protestors or environmental activists (all with more valid beefs than the "Freedom Convoy”) surrounded your residence with 24-hour air horns, fireworks and loud music, would you support their freedom (to protest) or would you call the cops?

If we sent (people with) ebola or TB to your place because they don't want mandates either, would you be cool with that? Public health overrules (protesters), especially when the vast majority of Canadians agree.

As for the others, most Indigenous people did get the shaft, I use gas, diesel and oil, I am in the forest industry and we should get our act together on the environment, but as long as they want to protest peacefully and not “take hostages,” that it is their right to protest in Canada.

And to letter writer Lisa Porcellato (Take back Canada's flag - Castanet, June 22), I agree. Any separatist neo-fascists who want to destroy Canadian democracy shouldn't be allowed a Canadian flag.

Dave Stocking