BREAKING: Calgary court grants injunction on Freedom protests

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A Calgary court granted an emergency court injunction in response to weekly protests against COVID mandates.

Calgary police are asking all protesters to “reconsider” heading down to Saturday's protest, where last week there was a heated standoff between two opposing groups. Mayor Jyoti Gondek and city council retained an emergency court injunction allowing bylaws to be enforced more efficiently by law enforcement.

This action was taken three days after city council voted 13-2 on sending a letter to the police commission asking for more to be done against these anti-COVID mandate protests.

The injunction forbids blocking traffic on roads and sidewalks, walking on the road and restricting pedestrians accessing amenities. It also forbids using the park in any way that may disrupt others' use of it, like having speakers for a speech.

This injunction also includes a noise restriction ban, barring any unnecessary use of horns or other noise making devices.

Important Announcement

As presented to the public and media today, we are stepping up our enforcement plans for this weekend’s demonstrations, along with our @cityofcalgary partners. We urge the public not to attend. #yyc pic.twitter.com/30mgv2sUC5

— Calgary Police (@CalgaryPolice) March 18, 2022

Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld on March 16 called freedom protesters “anti-democratic” in a news conference regarding the Beltline protests.

Calgary's police chief says the peaceful freedom rally that's taken place for nearly 2 years without issue has an underlying "anti-democratic" angle.

They are looking to balance the right to protest with community interests.

Watch the rally yourself: https://t.co/g2RxN1iVHR pic.twitter.com/ZKNR3yoE2z

— Efron Monsanto 🇨🇦🚜🚛 (@realmonsanto) March 17, 2022

In an interview with Global News, Neufeld suggested protesters are abusing Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He then proceeded to announce his plan to use Section 1 to further limit the demonstrators protest rights.

Calgary's police chief believes the freedom protesters, or as he likes to call them the "anti democracy group", are pushing the limits of section 2 of the charter.

He suggests using section 1 of the charter to place limits on their ability to protest. pic.twitter.com/Ny8okameTA

— K2🍁🚛 (@kiansimone44) March 17, 2022

It remains unknown what this enforcement plan will actually look like during tomorrow's expected rally.