Permit, please! “Using an instrument” nets roving protester a fine in Montreal

One of the really sinister habits developing during the lockdown is how police and bylaw enforcement officers are using non-COVID laws and regulations to infringe on the civil liberties of Canadians.

That's exactly what happened to Jonathan Rossiter from New Brunswick. Rossiter has been participating in demonstrations against the coronavirus lockdowns, and he took his protest on the road, all the way to Montreal.

Protesting the decisions of the government is not illegal in this country, and it looks bad on the police when they arrest or fine peaceful demonstrators. Because of this, police are getting creative in their application of laws that are already on the books.

Jonathan and a couple of friends were using an amplifier to demonstrate in Montreal. It's something we see protesters do all the time. Megaphones and amplifiers were used by Black Lives Matter protesters this summer in the same city. Yet, to put a stop to Rossiter's demonstration, police used an obscure bylaw meant to limit noise caused by travelling musicians to ticket him nearly $500.

Rossiter isn't a musician and he wasn't playing music. The police are abusing an obscure law to shut him up.

And that's why we're helping Jonathan fight his fine. He submitted his fine to us at www.FightTheFines.com and we've put him in touch with a top criminal lawyer who will fight his fine in court at no cost to him.

If you'd like to help Rebel News in our largest civil liberties project to date — fighting the lockdown, one ticket and one Canadian at a time — please donate at www.FightTheFines.com.

Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.

https://mybook.to/sheila

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