Protesters support B.C. college student arrested after not wearing a mask

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Most people don’t equate being arrested with getting their college education, but that is a reality for Leo Hendricks, a business student who was attending Douglas College in New Westminster, British Columbia.

After recently, refusing to wear a mask, for which he says he is exempt from, Hendricks was threatened with arrest for trespassing by three officers and then escorted out of class. A week later, Hendricks says he was then arrested and charged with mischief and causing a disturbance.

Henricks, who is now unable to continue with his education at the college for at least a year, says he was told by police that charges for causing a disturbance were because if he “was wearing a mask, they would not have had to come there and hold up the class.” 

B.C.’s public health order for face coverings lists a wide range of reasons and circumstances for which a person may be exempt from wearing a mask, including for psychological and behavioural reasons. 

Additionally, there is nothing written in the order that would require an individual who is exempt from wearing a face covering to have a medical professional provide them with documentation that says so.

I reached out to Douglas College in New Westminster to ask if their mask policy aligns with B.C.’s public health order and have yet to receive a response.

Hendricks' arrest drew attention from citizens in the Lower Mainland who are advocating for a “mandate free B.C. post secondary education”.

On February 3, a protest took place outside of the Anvil Centre, where Hendricks police encounter occurred, and had close to 100 people in attendance.

Unlike Rebel News, legacy media journalists were no where near the protest when it occurred. That didn’t stop some, like Global News, from publishing misleading articles suggesting the protesters were there to “target New Westminster COVID-19 clinic” which happened to be near where Hendricks was arrested.

Watch the video about and see what actually occurred at this protest and hear form Hendricks himself.

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