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Sault Police have charged 16 people in relation to anti-lockdown rallies that have recently taken place in Bellevue Park.
In a news release issued today, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service states that three people believed to be rally organizers have been charged under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). If convicted, these three individuals will face minimum fines of $10,000.
Police also charged 13 additional attendees under the EMCPA, which could result in fines of $750 each.
Full text of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service release follows:
On April 30, 2021, officers attended an illegal gathering held at Bellevue Park to ensure it remained peaceful and to investigate the gathering.
The investigation identified three people as having organized the illegal gathering, two from Sault Ste. Marie and one person from Spring Water Township, Ont.
On May 8, 2021, officers attended an illegal gathering held at Bellevue Park. All three of the people deemed to have organized the April 30, 2021 illegal gathering were in attendance and were charged under the Reopening Ontario Act. A conviction for organizing an illegal gathering will result in a minimum fine of $10,000.
While on scene of the illegal gathering on May 8, 2021, officers charged 13 people under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) for attending an illegal gathering. A conviction for violating the EMCPA will result in a fine of $750.
The investigation into the April 30 and May 8 illegal gatherings remain under investigation.