Demonstrators, many maskless, march in Montreal against public health restrictions

Protesters, most not wearing masks, gathered in Montreal on Saturday to demonstrate against Quebec's public health restrictions such as the curfew.

They were calling for a return to normal life, with the economy fully open and people allowed to gather as they once did without fear of police knocking on their door to issue fines for illegal gatherings.

A large group marched a loop around MaisonneuvePark and the Botanical Garden, following Sherbrooke and Viau streets to RosemontBoulevard andBourbonnireAvenue.

Halfway through, the paradewas estimated to have spanned nearly two kilometres.

"We can no longer take freedom for granted in this country," said Maxime Bernier, leader of the federal People's Party of Canada who joined in the protest. He is calling for an end to the curfew and lockdown measures.

"People here are ready. They're responsible. They want their freedom back."

Montreal police said the protest was peaceful overall, though a small group of masked demonstrators threw smoke bombs and firecrackers at officers. One officer was injured.

Police made four arrests at Saturday's demonstration, and handed out 28 tickets for public-health violations.

WATCH |Maxime Bernier explains why he is protesting:

Maxime Bernier says it's time to end health restrictions in Quebec

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Maxime Bernier, leader of the federal People's Party of Canada, joined in the protest against public health measures in Montreal on Saturday.

The protest forced public health officials to reschedule vaccine appointments at Olympic Stadium, and in some cases, transfer them to other clinics.

"It is extremely unfortunate," Quebec Health Minister Christian Dub wrote on Twitter Friday. "We respect the right to demonstrate, but vaccinating is the priority."

Oppositionto proposed 'immunitypassports'

Samuel Grenier, one of the protest's organizers with the group Qubec debout (Quebec stands up), said there were those at the event who are against vaccinations as well as those in favour of them.

Collectively, he said, demonstrators are opposed to the idea of "immunity passports," which wouldallow people to show they've been vaccinated to make it simpler to access services or travel.

Federal Health MinisterPatty Hajdusaid thegovernment embracesthe concept of"vaccine passports" as a way to help vaccinated Canadians travel internationally.

At the provincial level, the province has said it wants to provide Quebecers with a digital proof of vaccination, although the context in which it could be used remains unclear.

WATCH | Massive demonstration draws people of all ages to Montreal:

Protesters march through Montreal in protest of lockdown measures

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Music played, signs were waved and people marched through Montreal's east end in protest of public health restrictions.

Grenier said protesters are also against themeasures that have kept families and friends apart for so long. He said he can't wait to see the government's plan to return to normal life.

OnQubec debout's Facebook page, the group posted photos of people gathering without masks andignoring physical distancing. In videos, peopleare speaking to each other and the camera while standing shoulder-to-shoulder without face coverings.

"I'm in travel.I sell upscale travel," Antonella Cicero, who was marching on Saturday, told CBC News. "I'm self employed, it's a whole year that I'm shut down."

Others, like Laurence Lalibert, were protesting against the curfew.

"Why do we need to go home at eight? Like,COVIDdoesn't stop existing after 8 o'clock," she said.

The Quebec government enacted a curfew in an effort to deter people from gathering at others' homesamid concerns that indoor get-togethersare a significantsource of transmission.

Measures 'must be respected,' mayor says

Despite the large number of demonstrators, the vast majority of Quebecers are completely in favour of public health measures, according to Corinne Gendron, aprofessor in the department of strategy, social and environmental responsibility at Universit du Qubec Montral.

"It is not that they like to be confined, but that they believe in the effectiveness and the necessity of these measures," she said.

On Twitter, Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante said she found the protests worrying. She said she is not questioning the right to protests, but enacting strict public health measures is the best way to return to normality. These measures "must be respected," she said, to help ensure "a dynamic and more normal summer."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a similar comment on Friday, saying large protestsincrease the risk of "spreading further cases of COVID-19, and extending the time in which we will have to be faced with restrictions and public health measures."

Even with the province's vaccination campaign pickingup steam, experts say Quebecers still have to hunker down and keep following the rules.

"We've got to still look after each other," said Dr. Matthew Oughton, an infectious diseases specialist at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital.

"To me, the best way to get rid of these restrictions is to beat this disease. Not just say, 'OK, time to stop these restrictions' because if we do that, we are just setting ourselves up for worse and worse problems"

COVID-19 continues to spread

The protest came as Quebec reported1,101 new COVID-19 cases and seven related deaths on Saturday.

Health authorities say the number of patients in hospital dropped by 14 to 578, with 159 people in intensive care, a drop of five.The province has 9,579 active cases.Quebec has reported10,933 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

The province administered 62,406 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday; more than 36 per cent of the population has received at least a first dose.

All adults in the province are expected to be able to book an appointment by mid-May.