43-year-old Chatham woman charged for organizing two anti-lockdown protests over the weekend
A 43-year-old Chatham woman has been charged after organizing two anti-lockown demonstrations over the weekend, according to Chatham police.
In a Wednesday news release, police said they responded to two reports of demonstrations at the intersection of St. Clair Street and Grand Avenue in Chatham on the weekend.
Approximately 30 people gathered for the Saturday event and 50 people attended the Sunday event to protest the new COVID-19 restrictions announced by the Ontario government last week, according to police.
Police said they spoke to the organizer following both demonstrations.
The woman has been charged with failing to comply with measures under the Reopening Ontario Act.
"Our primary goal is to engage and educate our community in an effort to seek compliance with enforcement being used as a last resort. Gatherings such as this not only jeopardize public safety, but contradict the law, therefore those responsible must be held accountable," Chief Gary Conn said in the news release.
The woman will attend provincial offences court on May 26.
