Premier Jason Kenney has joined the condemnation of parts of a weekend protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures..Saturday’s anti-lockdown protest and anti-racism counter-protest had already brought condemnation from Edmonton’s Mayor Don Iveson and NDP Leader Rachel Notley..In a statement to Twitter, Kenney denounced the “explicitly white supremacist” imagery incorporated in the protest’s publicity apparently taken from the notorious 2017 Charlottesville torch rally..Kenney stated: “Prominent racists promoted Saturday’s protest at the Legislature, and individuals attended the event from known hate groups like the ‘Soldiers of Odin’ and ‘Urban Infidels’. I condemn these voices of bigotry in the strongest possible terms.”.The Western Standard reached out to Edmonton police for confirmation on known hate groups at the protest or freedom march. EPS didn’t address whether any known white supremacists were at the rally..An EPS spokesperson stated the only incident EPS were involved in throughout the rally, which spanned approximately five hours, involved four officers, whose injuries were only minor..“As EPS has stated, that incident and the protestors involved is still SUI (Still Under Investigation),” said its spokesperson..“From our commanding officers’ perspective, rally participants exercised their rights of free speech peacefully.”.Kenney acknowledged with any sizeable public protest, and there was likely a range of perspectives and motivations amongst those who attended. .“There is no doubt that some people came just to register their opposition to public health measures, which is their democratic right. But these people also have a responsibility to disassociate themselves from the extremists who peddle hatred and division, and who played a role in this event,” he said..“Albertans value the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly … [and] believe in the dignity of every human being and have no time for these voices of division and hate, or the symbols that they represent.”.NDP leader Rachel Notley wasn’t impressed with Kenney’s comments..“We cannot equivocate on racism. After two days of silence, Premier Jason Kenney finally released a statement on the torch march this weekend in Edmonton,” she said..“His statement raised more questions than it answered. While acknowledging certain elements of the racism at the rally, he omitted others and he proceeded to defend the majority of the rally’s attendees..“Torch rallies have been associated with some of the most heinous displays of racism in history and Albertans deserve a Premier who is unequivocal in condemning hate and racism.”.Dhaliwal is the Western Standard’s Edmonton reporter
Premier Jason Kenney has joined the condemnation of parts of a weekend protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures..Saturday’s anti-lockdown protest and anti-racism counter-protest had already brought condemnation from Edmonton’s Mayor Don Iveson and NDP Leader Rachel Notley..In a statement to Twitter, Kenney denounced the “explicitly white supremacist” imagery incorporated in the protest’s publicity apparently taken from the notorious 2017 Charlottesville torch rally..Kenney stated: “Prominent racists promoted Saturday’s protest at the Legislature, and individuals attended the event from known hate groups like the ‘Soldiers of Odin’ and ‘Urban Infidels’. I condemn these voices of bigotry in the strongest possible terms.”.The Western Standard reached out to Edmonton police for confirmation on known hate groups at the protest or freedom march. EPS didn’t address whether any known white supremacists were at the rally..An EPS spokesperson stated the only incident EPS were involved in throughout the rally, which spanned approximately five hours, involved four officers, whose injuries were only minor..“As EPS has stated, that incident and the protestors involved is still SUI (Still Under Investigation),” said its spokesperson..“From our commanding officers’ perspective, rally participants exercised their rights of free speech peacefully.”.Kenney acknowledged with any sizeable public protest, and there was likely a range of perspectives and motivations amongst those who attended. .“There is no doubt that some people came just to register their opposition to public health measures, which is their democratic right. But these people also have a responsibility to disassociate themselves from the extremists who peddle hatred and division, and who played a role in this event,” he said..“Albertans value the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly … [and] believe in the dignity of every human being and have no time for these voices of division and hate, or the symbols that they represent.”.NDP leader Rachel Notley wasn’t impressed with Kenney’s comments..“We cannot equivocate on racism. After two days of silence, Premier Jason Kenney finally released a statement on the torch march this weekend in Edmonton,” she said..“His statement raised more questions than it answered. While acknowledging certain elements of the racism at the rally, he omitted others and he proceeded to defend the majority of the rally’s attendees..“Torch rallies have been associated with some of the most heinous displays of racism in history and Albertans deserve a Premier who is unequivocal in condemning hate and racism.”.Dhaliwal is the Western Standard’s Edmonton reporter
