Anti-mask rally in Steinbach sees hundreds of attendees
Steinbach #Steinbach
An anti-mask rally in southern Manitoba drew hundreds of people Saturday afternoon.
The Hugs over Masks group organized the event to protest the provincial government’s increased enforcement to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Manitoba RCMP were on scene but didn’t have any information on how many officers attended and or if anyone received a fine for breaking public health orders.
A Global News reporter on scene saw children and adults on scene, with the majority not wearing masks and many not social distancing.
Others were holding signs touting conspiracy theories.
The Reeve of the RM of La Broquerie Lewis Weiss was also in attendance at the event and speaking to the crowd.
A spokesperson for the Government of Manitoba says that enforcement officials were on scene and issued tickets but didn’t say how many tickets were issued, adding that Manitoba Justice will be able to provide more specific details regarding fines handed out once all the tickets issued have been processed.
The province says “excessive verbal abuse” was directed at enforcement officials who were on site and issuing tickets.
According to Manitoba Health, there are 1,752 total confirmed coronavirus cases in the province and 40 announced Saturday in Southern Health, with 795 known active cases.
There are also 24 total deaths in the region, with three announced Saturday.
Read more: Situation at Steinbach hospital dire as capacity dwindles: Manitoba Nurses Union
The region also has 43 people hospitalized with nine people in ICU care.
The nurses union sounded the alarm on Friday over the “dramatically increasing number” of COVID-19 patients at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach.
The union says capacity at the facility is quickly filling up, with some nurses even having to triage patients in their cars because of a lack of space in the emergency department.