Photo: EverythingGP staff

By EverythingGP Staff

Protest

Grande Prairie Slow Roll Freedom Convoy viewed as success by organizer

Jan 31, 2022 | 1:37 PM

Many Peace Region residents who participated in Saturday’s Slow Roll Freedom Protest in Grande Prairie were happy with the turnout.

Organizer Elliot McDavid says they were standing up for their rights and freedoms, which they believe have been slowly taken away over the last few years.

He tells EverythingGP their goal for the protest was, and still is, to try and help put an end to all COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

“If not immediately, shortly because we are not going to stop doing what we do, we are going to fight for the people and we are not going to back down,” added McDavid.

“I will fight for this country, and I want this country back, and so do a lot of people and it seems like we have some people in Grande Prairie backing us now and that’s what we need to do, we need to continue with this.”

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McDavid tells EverythingGP they counted over 1,000 units driving in the Slow Roll Freedom Convoy in Grande Prairie.

“That includes vehicles, trucks and cars, and some of them had four or five people inside, and there had to be 1,000 spectators or more I would think.”

He believes with the number of people showing their support, they were able to send a strong message to city, provincial and federal officials.

“If you looked at all the happy faces, the smiling faces and nobody social distancing and no masks on. This is what the creator put us on this planet to be and do, he didn’t put us on this planet to wear a mask and breath our toxins back in,” added McDavid.

“We are here to breath 100 per cent pure oxygen into our bodies and just to see the smiling faces and the connection people had.”

McDavid says they are working on a freedom march in the near future, which he says will be a friendly and peaceful march and will involve organizers talking to businesses and residents about the current mandates.

“We are going to continue on, we have to continue on, it’s for the people, by the people, we have to do that,” he stated. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t do it, put it that way.”

The route had originally planned for the convoy to go from the Costco south to 68th (Avenue), 68th east to 100 Street, and then across 100 Street to (the) Ernie’s Sports, Barton’s corner. However, last-minute changes were made on Saturday.

“We were supposed to go east on 100th down to the Staples corner, and they (the RCMP) changed that direction because they didn’t want us on 100 Street because they said it’s not acceptable for heavy trucks.”

The Grande Prairie RCMP has confirmed with EverythingGP that officers suggested a route change in consultation with the City of Grande Prairie to help limit the impact on the roads.

“Some roads in Grande Prairie are more suited for trucks, truck routes, that’s why it was suggested that the route be changed but ultimately that’s up to the organizers, they are the ones who choose where they have their event,” says Sgt. Shawn Graham.

Additional RCMP officers were out on Saturday as a precautionary measure, ensuring peace and public safety were maintained.

The RCMP says there were no reports officers had to respond to due to the Slow Roll Convoy in Grande Prairie on Saturday.