A ‘Freedom Walk and Rally’ was held in Saskatoon Saturday protesting government COVID-19 restrictions. The rally was centered at Vimy Memorial, in Kiwanis Park, and featured the playing of the Canadian National Anthem and speeches from several protestors.

One of the protestors, Mark Friesen says last weekend he was out with only 18 people, and told the much larger Saturday crowd they needed to be loud and proud. He says what makes him proud to be a Canadian is there are “thousands upon thousands of people who are finally standing up to say they’ve had enough.” Friesen says they are doing this regardless of what he calls “the shaming, the ridicule and the demonizing.” Friesen suggests that he has even received death threats over the past few months.

While the total number of people who gathered is unknown, from video and pictures taken of the event, it would appear that attendance was into the hundreds.

The crowd of mostly unmasked protestors took to Saskatoon’s downtown streets and bridges, marching with signs and chants calling for freedom and to open up small businesses.

All of this as confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Saskatchewan, and after protestors were fined under the public health act in mid-November. At that time, Saskatoon Police received several complaints regarding a group of people that were at several downtown businesses to protest the wearing of masks.