Nova Scotia’s highest court has granted a court injunction to stop a “Freedom Rally” from taking place in Halifax on Saturday.
It means Freedom Nova Scotia and others will be prevented from staging illegal gatherings in defiance of public health orders.
“Nova Scotia is in a state of emergency. People have lost their lives. Our collective responsibility is to keep everyone safe,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “All Nova Scotians must respect the public health orders and directives. This is particularly important as the province and our health-care employees work around the clock to care for people in this third wave of the pandemic.”
Police in Halifax were warning organizers in the lead up to the rally there could be consequences for attending. The court injunction comes two weeks after dozens of protesters gathered on Cidital Hill.
Police took some public backlash over not breaking up the gathering on May 1 but those attending the rallies point to their right to protest under the Charter.
Events were also held in rural communities as well in the past few weeks.
“Masking, physical distancing and the other public health measures are essential to reducing the risk of COVID-19, especially with the variants we are seeing in Nova Scotia,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health. “With almost 100 people in hospital, we all have a responsibility to our fellow Nova Scotians to keep them safe and stop that number from getting higher.”
The injunction remains in effect until the state of emergency is lifted.
