A former MP is raising funds for an Ontario mom fined $37,000 for organizing two freedom rallies during COVID lockdowns..Derek Sloan interviewed stay-at-home mother Kimberly Neudorf in an August 2 Rumble video days after her fines were levied. The homeschooling mom said the lockdowns were “unacceptable.”.“Everybody has to run their own family the way they see fit. So of course, I don't like officials telling me how,” she said..“People weren't allowed to talk about things, and they weren't allowed to network, they weren't allowed to connect. And those things are very harmful for children, for families, for everybody.”.Neudorf said she organized the rally in Aylmer, ON, alongside other local moms..“It didn't matter to me how many people came. We just thought we should do that because it's how you speak to government in a crisis,” she explained..The Oct. 24, 2020 freedom march exceeded her expectations for numbers and enthusiasm..“It was a great thing because everybody there was happy to discover they weren't the only people that thought this way. And that was a real comfort to many people because they hadn't been able to connect,” she said..“The second rally we had two weeks later started trending on Twitter, and our town declared a state of emergency. It got so big. And it was absolutely incredible.”.According to the London Free Press, the first rally attracted 100 to 150 people, and the Nov. 7 sequel drew 1,000 to 1,500 unmasked people when only 25 were allowed to be outside..“So many people at that rally were so thankful to find other people so that they could survive the next years and know who they could network with and who they could count on when things were difficult.”.Neudorf said previous rallies in Toronto were ignored by mainstream media but hers somehow became a flashpoint for attention..“I didn't think we needed to do it again, because we could never top that,” she said..“It was a life changing time for many people. So many people made new friends and new connections they still have to this day. And it's changed a lot of people's lives for the good.”.Neudorf fought her ticket for breaking public health orders, but had no idea it would take almost three years to settle..“I was there, and I hosted it and everything, but it wasn't the wrong thing to do. We tried to argue how the mandates and things are all arbitrary and the numbers don't make sense,” she said..“The first day when we were going to have court, I thought, ‘Oh, that's it, we're gonna do it today.' I don’t know why it takes so long.”.Neudorf had Rocco Galati as a lawyer, but he stepped away from the case after becoming ill. Her next lawyer, Rosie Runkle, was given no time by the judge to get familiarized with the case. Sloan, who is a lawyer himself, said this was “very rare.”.The lockdown-era attendance of Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau at Black Lives Matter rallies and also at a large funeral for a Muslim boy that was killed had no consequences for attendees..Sloan mocked the hypocrisy..“The science is not correct if it only works on Wednesday, but not Tuesday, when an event that the premier wants to go to, or the prime minister wants to go to, is on. It's just outrageous how political these things are in terms of their enforcement.”.Justice of the Peace Anna Hampson ruled against Neudorf at St. Thomas’ provincial offences court on July 26..Neudorf told Sloan she was encouraged by positive comments posted to media articles on the case. At first, she refused donations to cover the fine, but many people emailed asking her to reconsider..“Talking to my family and some other people, they're like, ‘Well, it's gracious to accept help from people that want to help,’ and, I suppose it is true. And I'm very, very fortunate that there are people that are interested in doing that, and I'm very appreciative,” she said..Neudorf, who has since moved to New Brunswick, said she is unsure whether she has grounds to appeal or whether the funds would solely cover the fine..In an email appeal, Sloan said, “Please support this courageous mother who stood up for our rights during a dark time.” He said donations would be accepted by e-transfer to fundingthefight@proton.me, with “Freedom” as the password and “Kimberly” as a memo.
