Lest you thought that protests against sensible public health measures during this coronavirus pandemic were a peculiarly American phenomenon, it is embarrassing, but perhaps salutary, to mention that Canada - even Toronto - has also had its protests. Much smaller protests, granted, but we have our share of yahoos too.
An estimated 100 people defied social distancing rules and protested outside Queen's Park against the lock-down, sporting signs like "Protect the sick, free the strong" and "If you sacrifice freedom for safety, you get neither" (rather less pithy than some of those American placards, but arguably better thought out). Calls of the "virus is a hoax" brought the tone right back down to US standards, though.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford - who is riding a wave of popularity for his performance during the pandemic, after a year or two of disastrous provincial leadership - called the protesters "reckless", "selfish" and a "bunch of yahoos".
It was a pretty desultory and unfocussed-looking crowd, if you watch the video, seeming a bit lost in the extensive grounds of Queen's Park. But it's hard to talk down to Americans when we have our own yahoos to deal with.
No comments:
Post a Comment