Tag: Anti-Mask

Guelph Organizers Holding Conference on “Human Rights” Kitchener

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This weekend, a group of bikers called “Rolling Thunder Ottawa” will be protesting in the nation’s capital for restoring “fundamental rights and freedoms” as part of a campaign dedicated to the “end of all tyrannical bills and legislation.” More locally, Guelph organizers are planning a town hall called “Shifting Perspectives: The Erosion of Human Rights.” Sounds interesting, right? However it sounds, this, and the biker rally, are both about the same things: conspiracy theories and COVID misinformation. Continue reading “Guelph Organizers Holding Conference on “Human Rights” Kitchener” →

Cold Weather and Hot Tempers at School Board Mandate Protest

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The snow was falling, and a bitter wind was blowing, but things actually did get heated at a protest outside the main office of the Upper Grand District School Board on Victoria Road Friday. Over 20 people, some with their kids, gathered to call for an end to mask mandates in schools, while at least one person stood her ground about the ongoing necessity of public health restrictions. Continue reading “Cold Weather and Hot Tempers at School Board Mandate Protest” →

Anti-Maskers Hold Library Protest, Prompting a Police Response

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A small group of anti-mask protestors gathered at the children’s library on the second floor of the main Guelph Public Library on Thursday afternoon. The demonstration was phrased as just a regular day at the library, but the sight of eight police officers, half-a-dozen unmasked people, and a peanut gallery of a couple of reporters was anything but ordinary. Despite the high drama, the incident was largely over after 30 minutes. Continue reading “Anti-Maskers Hold Library Protest, Prompting a Police Response” →

Less Organized, Still Misinformed; COVID Skeptics Gather Downtown Again

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Less than 24 hours after the Provincial government announced stricter lockdown measures, including new police powers and the closure of playgrounds, there was a requisite response from Guelph’s small but vocal group of skeptics. They say they’re not-anti-mask, but they are anti-lockdown, vaccine hesitant, and that they think the government is somehow both tyrannical and incompetent at the same time. Continue reading “Less Organized, Still Misinformed; COVID Skeptics Gather Downtown Again” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #269 – Pandemics Make Strange Bedfellows

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The most dramatic cultural shift of the pandemic has not been “care-mongering”, or an appreciation of essential workers, it’s been the growing number of people who believe that the things we all see and hear are fake, and reality is something entirely different. With the province locked down again, these groups have found a curious new ally: small business owners. So now what happens? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #269 – Pandemics Make Strange Bedfellows” →

Guthrie Says Relax as Businesses Gets Antsy About Another Lockdown

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Things must be getting pretty dark when the mayor has to send out a statement on Saturday night asking everyone to take it easy less than a week after the start of a new lockdown. But after days of some businesses threatening to ignore the shutdown, a protest on the same that was piggybacked by the usual anti-mask suspects, and a general sense of tiredness from COVID-19 restrictions, the mayor had to say something. Continue reading “Guthrie Says Relax as Businesses Gets Antsy About Another Lockdown” →

Conspiracy Theories and Science Denial on Display Downtown at “COVID is Over” Rally

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They said not to take “hugs over masks” literally, but there was one guy on the corner soliciting hugs. They said it wasn’t an anti-mask protest, but at one point a speaker stopped everything to burn a mask before the cheering crowd. The messages were mixed, but the messaging was as plain as day. The anti-mask movement landed in St. George’s Square Sunday afternoon attracting around 50 people, mostly maskless, all eager to deflect from the reality of the situation. Continue reading “Conspiracy Theories and Science Denial on Display Downtown at “COVID is Over” Rally” →

Anti-Mask Event Planned for Downtown Guelph This Sunday

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Guelph has done pretty well avoiding the kind of anti-mask, anti-COVID restriction demonstrations that have popped in other places. (A mask burning event last weekend in Idaho comes to mind.) But this weekend, the controversy comes to town, and it seems like have a Who’s Who in anti-masking, anti-vaxxing and conspiracy theories are going to be on hand for the festivities. Continue reading “Anti-Mask Event Planned for Downtown Guelph This Sunday” →