Protests in Montreal against vaccine passport: What you need to know

Picture Courtesy: Montreal Gazette

On Saturday, a huge protest took place in Montreal, where people protested the Quebec government’s decision to impose a vaccine passport system. The decision of vaccine passport was taken by the government in an effort to slow the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic, which is underway in Canada.

The protesters asked the government to hold a public debate rather than imposing the restriction. According to the system, which will come into effect on Sept 1st, people would be required to show their proof of vaccination while accessing non-essential services such as at festivals, bars, restaurants, and gyms.

Premier Francois Legault has refused to give a platform to the protesters and said that there won’t be any debate as it would expose Quebecers to inaccurate, dangerous conspiracy theories about vaccines. The event coordinator Jonathan Hamelin said, “We want a public debate. As long as Quebec censors them, we will continue to protest.”

The opposition party also denounced the government’s decision to not hold a debate. Liberal health critic Marie Montpetit said in an emailed statement, “While we are in favor of swiftly implementing a vaccine passport to avoid further worsening the situation, we can also debate the modalities without hindering its implementation.”

The protests were peaceful and there is no news of any unruly behavior anywhere so far. According to a police spokesperson, the protesters were cooperating with the police.