43 tickets given, 5 arrested after maskless protest at B.C. grocery store, Mounties say
CTV
An anti-mask protest at a B.C. grocery store led to dozens of tickets being handed out and five people being arrested earlier this week.
An anti-mask protest at a B.C. grocery store led to dozens of tickets being handed out and five people being arrested earlier this week.
In a news release Tuesday, Kamloops RCMP said officers went to a so-called "Maskless Monday" protest at a grocery store on Columbia Street West.
Their hope, Mounties said, was to use "an educational approach to convince attendees to follow public health orders or depart the premise."
"We've always promoted an education first approach and that will continue," said Kamloops RCMP Supt. Sydney Lecky in the news release.
"In the past, some of these protestors were reportedly intimidating employees and customers, approaching people in the store and telling them to take off their mask."
But that educational approach didn't work, Mounties said, leading them to issue 43 $230 tickets. As well, five people were arrested after they reportedly didn't identify themselves or leave the store. Another 18 people were escorted out without an issue, Mounties said.
"We'll do what we have to do, but we’ve always tried to show a measured approach," Lecky said.
