Anti-mandate protesters return to B.C. legislature

Another convoy of anti-mandate protesters descended on the B.C. legislature Saturday, gathering on the lawn to voice opposition to COVID-19-related public health orders.

The organizers of the event, a group called We Unify Canada, said earlier in the week that they expected it to be the "largest pro-democracy rally in the history of Victoria."

Online livestreams of the event showed a massive turnout, much larger than the estimated 200 people or so that Victoria police said attended a similar rally last weekend.

It was not immediately clear how many people turned out for Saturday's event, but the crowd looked comparable in size to the previous We-Unify-Canada-organized protest at the legislature on Jan. 29.

Victoria police estimated between 4,000 and 5,000 people attended that January event. 

Large crowds have been gathering at the legislature weekly ever since to protest vaccine and mask mandates and demand freedoms they say have been taken away during the pandemic.

While some provinces have ended their vaccine passport systems and mask mandates - or announced timelines for doing so - B.C. has so far not followed suit.

The province lifted restrictions related to venue capacity, indoor dining, bars, nightclubs and wedding receptions last month, citing declining transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and decreasing hospitalizations.

Health officials are scheduled to address the province's remaining restrictions next week, though they've given no indication as to when such restrictions could be lifted.

The vaccine passport program is scheduled to expire in mid-June, though health officials have said both that it will be reviewed before then, and that organizations that wish to continue to require proof of vaccination after the program ends will be able to do so. 

Ahead of Saturday's protest, Victoria police said they would once again set up temporary surveillance cameras in the area around the legislature. 

The Victoria Police Department said in a news release that, while safe, peaceful and lawful protest is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, its officers would be present on Saturday and take action against any illegal activities.

VicPD said 10 violation tickets were issued last weekend, as well as two notices and more than 50 warnings for various infractions, such as excessive noise and obstructing traffic.