City moves to stop so-called Freedom Rallies downtown Kelowna

The City of Kelowna is asking the courts to intervene and stop ongoing anti-vaccine and anti-mandate protests over a swath of the downtown core.

In a petition filed Monday in British Columbia Supreme Court, the City argues the ongoing rallies violate several local bylaws.

“The City has received numerous complaints from the public regarding the unlawful events,” it said as part of its claim.

Named in the case are well-known protest organizer and agitator, David Lindsay, Jane and John Doe, and unknown people, as well as Lindsay’s group, Common Law Education and Rights, or C.L.E.A.R.

The lawsuit seeks to bar those named from hosting ‘events,’ selling things, putting up tents, or causing a disturbance at any park downtown, running from Recreation Avenue and Harvey Avenue, west of Gordon Drive, without the city’s permission.

Further, it seeks to prevent the people from having a parade or procession on a roadway, or standing around and interfering with traffic, without permission, across the same area.

The City is also seeking the ability to have police arrest and remove anyone who violates the order.

The lawsuit details how the rallies, organized by Lindsay, started in 2020, and have grown to include tents going up, amplified sound, product sales, and loitering around downtown parks and the highway.

The City argues it has never granted a permit or permission for the events to take place, and issued several warnings, fines, and letters to stop Lindsay and the groups, but to no avail.

Lindsay is no stranger to legal troubles over his pandemic-related actions.

Currently, he is set to stand trial in March on an assault charge tied to a confrontation during a protest at the Interior Health headquarters downtown Kelowna in August 2021.