Multiple thousands gathered at the Milk River protest on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022.
The procession of vehicles is estimated to have stretched about 2-3 km back from the police blockade on Highway 4, where the 501 heads west, about 3 km south of Milk River, Alberta.
Protestors gathered here, about 15 km north of the Coutts border protest, since police were blocking them from joining the truckers and protestors already at Coutts.
Many horses and riders were also present, with some estimating over 250 of them.
The gathering was peaceful, and many of them had already been there for days, staying overnight in vehicles and RV trailers.
Ken, one of the organizers, said they were there to unite Canada and bring an end to the mandates.
“We’re just in it for the people. We want to see Canada unite, get out of this mandate stuff and get back to living again,” said Ken.
By Saturday, he’d already been there for several days.
They’ve been getting tons of food donations, and Ken said that any leftovers would be going to a food bank or homeless shelter.
John, another organizer, said he and his brother were down at the border the previous Saturday, and that his brother had now been in Coutts for a week.
“We’re getting supplies there. They’ve got lots over there.”
He explained that he was at the protest to do his part.
“This is supporting freedom. When you sing O Canada, God keep our land glorious and free, if you can’t support this, you can’t sing O Canada. That’s the way I look at it,” said John.
“It’s a matter of showing the government that, you know what, you work for us. We don’t work for you. And the people are speaking, and it’s time. I’ve said this for a year, it’s going to take a revolution. And that’s what we’ve got. We’ve got a revolution going. And it’s worldwide. These truckers started it, and you know, we’re just two Joe Blows that are out here to do our part and help out.”
Constable Peters with the RCMP said they had set up a checkstop and they were only letting through people who live in Coutts or semi drivers on their way to the United States with a work-related shipment.
He said they were cycling through 12-hour shifts on a four day rotation.
Constable Peters estimated a 2 hour wait for anyone trying to get through the convoy of vehicles.
As far as anyone coming back from the Coutts border protest, he said that once they came out, they weren’t being allowed back in.
Brandon brought his family out to the protest for the cause of freedom and peace.
“All we want is peace… A small fringe? This looks like a lot bigger than a small fringe minority,” said Brandon.
Another protestor named Barry described the atmosphere of the crowd.
“There’s children walking around, playing, dancing, sitting around fires. Everybody’s just congregating having fun. Apparently we’re extremists. I don’t know how fun is extreme. It’s kind of ridiculous…We’re here for freedom, that is all. Freedom,” said Barry.
Crystal, one of the protestors helping to serve food to the crowd, said she came from Saskatchewan and didn’t really know what to expect.
“We just were amazed with all the people,” she said. “People keep coming in all day. Every minute it’s a new face. I don’t really often see the same person. I don’t know where the people are coming from. Thousands.”
The area closest to the police blockade is where everyone mainly congregated, with plenty of free food to eat and fire pits for staying warm.
“People are still coming. They’re eating. You know they got kids, and they don’t know what to expect either so they come with just a few items and they’re like, ‘Whoa, we got to stay all day cause this is amazing.’ It’s like you know all these people but you’ve never met them before. That’s what I love the most is people helping people,” said Crystal.
Crystal said the donations of food have been incredible, and that the organizers were great at having a place to put everything with trailers and freezers for the food.
“We’re actually out of hamburgers. We even went looking, and we’re out of hamburgers. And this morning everyone thought they had too much… It’s pretty overwhelming actually.”
Crystal explained that her stand was not a matter of vaccinated versus unvaccinated but about not being forced to do something against one’s will.
“If anyone out there thinks that it’s OK for people to lose their livelihoods for whatever reason that is for something that they aren’t comfortable doing, it’s not OK. So those people need to start getting out and start talking to people. Whether or not you have different views, it doesn’t matter. You know, we don’t care whether you’re vaccinated or not. I have lots of people here that are. I have lots of friends that are too,” she said.
“No one should be forced against their will to do something…That’s what we’re here for. That’s why we’re fighting.”
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(The events of the protest by Milk River on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, as witnessed by an independent photojournalist.)
(To see the photo gallery and story from the freedom convoy from Calgary to Edmonton on Jan. 29, 2022, check it out at this link or go to jessicadezall.ca/picture-stories.)