Following the third anti-lockdown protest in less than a month over the weekend, North Bay police are waiting to press charges.
Scott Tod, Chief of the North Bay Police Service, says officers identified people who were in violation of the provincial lockdown rules and police are working towards disciplining them.
“Although many people in the public may think it’s a simple process of issuing a ticket and identifying individuals who are responsible…we do like to have a consultation with the provincial prosecutor to make sure we’re laying the appropriate charges,” Tod explained. “We believe we’ll have success in regards to the prosecution of those charges.”
Tod says not everyone identified during the rally will simply be handed a ticket.
“It may not be a charge, it may be a summons. Sometimes our preference would be to have someone attend court for the purpose of explaining their actions,” he said.
North Bay police officers were patrolling the protest at the waterfront on Saturday as they had during the previous two. Tod says the police presence isn’t just to punish violators of the rules.
“Our concern is the growing resentment in the community towards the individuals who are protesting,” he said. “We’re concerned about the individuals who may be in the position to protest the protestors.”
NBPS released a statement on Monday saying it will continue to enforce the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and the Reopening Ontario Act – the two pieces of legislation that include the stay-at-home order and provincial public health protocols.
“Officers can disperse gatherings and ticket individuals found to be non-compliant, resulting in a $750 fine,” the release states. “The NBPS will continue to be complaints-driven when enforcing the stay-at-home order, while also focusing enforcement efforts on non-compliant businesses and gatherings.”
Through the latest provincial announcement, police have been given enhanced powers that require you to identify yourself if you are believed to be violating the rules. The NBPS says if the correct name, date of birth and address are not given, you could be charged with Obstructing Police.
