Hundreds gather at vaccine-mandate rallies in Halifax

A protest in support of the convoy demonstrating in Ottawa against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and public health measures happened in downtown Halifax on Saturday, along with a counter-protest.

Between 200 and 300 protesters gathered at Grand Parade. Most are vaccine-mandate protesters while some are counter-protesters supporting public health measures and health-care workers.

Many of the vaccine-mandate protesters were unmaskedand are waving Canada and Nova Scotia flags, or were wearing red and white clothes as they play music over speakers in the square.

Car horns honking in support couldbe heard throughout the downtown core of the city.

Halifax Regional Police officers were stationed around Grand Parade but were not engaging with protesters. Officers were directing long lines of traffic on BarringtonStreet, where vehicles are moving slowly.

In an email statement Saturday evening,after the protest had ended, police said they were focusing their efforts on keeping traffic moving and monitoring the people participating in the protest"with a focus on public safety."

Earlier on Saturday, more than 50 counter-protesters gathered at the Peace and Friendship Park in downtown Halifax. They stoodat the base of the former Edward Cornwallis statue, many wearing masks and carrying signs that include messages such as "Putting others in danger is not freedom. Get [vaxxed]" and "Cowards protest with their cars."

Elsewhere in the park, a crowd of vaccine-mandate protestersgathered. Some hadsigns with messages such as"Stop COVID mandates now" and "Choose freedom."

Vaccine-mandate protesters alsolinedBarrington besidethe Peace and Friendship Parkto wave and cheer on lines of honking cars and trucks.

Around 3 p.m. AT, the vaccine-mandate protesters began leaving the park and started walking down Barrington toward Grand Parade.

This marks the second straight weekend there's been a protest in Halifax supporting the convoy in Ottawa.

On Friday, Nova Scotia's health authority said it was working with its partners at Emergency Health Services, the RCMP and local police to reduce the chance access to its facilities would be disrupted.