13 tickets vs. 0 tickets: Regina police explain differences between rallies

There were two rallies in Regina over the weekend, and while there weren’t any tickets handed out at one of them, there were 13 tickets issued at the other.

A Regina police spokesperson explains it’s because those who attended one rally followed health orders while those at the other chose not to.

A rally in support of Palestine took place outside of the legislative building on Saturday, held amid escalating violence between Israel and Hamas.

Police say they attended the event because the organizers had reached out and asked for a permit for it to take place.

Also on Saturday, a so-called “freedom rally” was held in Victoria Park, protesting the current public health orders put in place due to COVID-19. There were 13 tickets handed out there.

“You have two very different events. The protest in the park — in Victoria Park — is one in a series and many of the same people have demonstrated over and over again that they do not intend to comply with public health orders with respect to masking or physical distancing,” said Regina Police Service spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich.

“On the other hand, there was a protest in support of Palestine that was bigger than anticipated but the organizers contacted us ahead of time.

“There was a point where our officers had to remind people to stay in their vehicles and people were very eager to comply with those public health orders with respect to masking and physical distancing. So we had excellent co-operation even though that was a large event.”

Popowich said the goal of the enforcement is to get people to comply with the health orders, and that was achieved without tickets being handed out at the legislative building.

“One group needed a reminder but they were respectful of the public health orders and complied with requests to remain in their vehicles and they had masks and practised physical distancing when they were outside of the vehicles, which was for a very short time. The other group does not comply with the public health orders and that’s what the ticket says,” Popowich said.

She said people have a right to protest in Canada, but added: “There is a way to (protest) safely.”

She also said if people see others gathering in homes or the parks, an investigation more than likely won’t happen unless police are called in.

“We can’t go to a call we don’t know about,” Popowich said.