Man facing charges after hit-and-run at convoy protest

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This article was published 05/02/2022 (1704 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Headingley man is facing charges after several protesters were struck with a vehicle late Friday at an ongoing demonstration against COVID-19 pandemic restrictions near the Manitoba legislature.

During a rare weekend news conference Saturday, the Winnipeg Police Service announced four men — one of whom was wearing a high-visibility vest at the time— were struck in the hit-and-run. One was taken to hospital and has since been released. The other three victims suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

“It’s pretty miraculous that nobody sustained any serious injuries,” Const. Rob Carver told reporters.

Carver said the crash, which is believed to have been intentional, happened on westbound Broadway at Memorial Boulevard at about 9:50 p.m. on the first day of the “Standing 4 Freedom” protest.

The constable said the driver was not participating in the protest when he struck the protesters with a Jeep Patriot.

An image of the incident posted on Twitter shows how close one protester was to becoming seriously injured by a vehicle that matches the police description of the suspect’s vehicle.

The accused then headed west on Portage Avenue, police said, adding numerous witnesses reported the man fled at high speeds and passed through red lights.

WPS officers, with the help of the RCMP, stopped the vehicle in the 4800 block of Portage at about 10:30 p.m. Friday. The lone male driver was arrested after a brief struggle, authorities said.

Carver said the 42-year-old man “blurted out” statements about the incident after his arrest.

“Some comments he made after his arrest suggested that his motivation was not specifically about the underlying causes of the protest or the mandates,” he said.

“I think it’s important here to give some context that he wasn’t really for or against either of the general views that are sort of floating around this country.”

The suspect is facing four counts of assault with a weapon, four counts related to leaving the scene of a collision, two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and one count of dangerous driving. He was detained in custody.

The WPS did not release the man’s name, citing the fact charges had not yet been formally laid in court. Carver said the man was not previously known to police. 

Rick Wall, a protest organizer, referred a reporter to a statement on Facebook when asked to comment on the incident.

“Organizers continue to work closely with Winnipeg police to ensure protests are peaceful, respectful and safe. We will keep the injured individual in our thoughts and prayers,” it states.

Co-organizers Zoey Jebb and Caleb Brown issued a statement calling on elected officials at all levels of government to denounce the violent act and “engage in conversation and action to begin to heal the division in our country.”

“Mandates and political rhetoric that intentionally divide families and communities have no place in Canada and it is time for us to work together in transitioning towards a return to an appropriate balance of freedom,” they wrote.

The Standing 4 Freedom group has released a code of conduct that states participants have agreed to denounce any racist or hateful speech and will obey all on-site police personnel, among other rules.

Upwards of 200 protesters on foot — many of them carrying Canadian flags and signs bearing phrases such as “mandate freedom,” “my body, my choice,” and “small vocal minority” — gathered outside the legislative building on Saturday afternoon. Approximately 20 semi-trucks were parked along Memorial, while traffic, including vehicles participating in the protest, drove by.

Honking and cheering was constant among the dozens of drivers doing loops in the area. Full fuel containers lined the sidewalks to allow truckers to idle indefinitely.

Abraham Penner, a 25-year-old from Winkler, was among those in attendance. Penner, who is sleeping in his parked big rig this weekend, said he plans to protest for “as long as it takes” until restrictions are lifted on the unvaccinated.

“The last couple of years have been really hard. Somebody’s got to do something,” he said, adding he is resitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine because he has had a negative reaction to a different vaccine in the past.

Carver said there is a potential to increase police presence but both authorities and organizers feel the current set-up is suffice for everyone’s safety.

“Police everywhere, specifically in Winnipeg, view these situations as potentially volatile. There are strong opinions being expressed, and there are a broad range — there’s polarization here. Anytime you have a situation (like this), there’s a potential for tempers to flare and possibly, some violence,” he said.

“We have done everything we can or are prepared to do at this point to ensure the safety of people in the area.”

Video of the hit-and-run was posted on social media after the collision. An image posted online showed an ambulance, a fire truck and at least two WPS vehicles on Broadway.

No other incidents have occurred since the protest began, per WPS.

Premier Heather Stefanson took to Twitter on Saturday to address the incident and thank officers for their duty.

“We may all hold different views, but the right to peacefully protest without harm is integral to our society,” she wrote.

Mayor Brian Bowman echoed similar comments: “I remind all Winnipeggers of the need for calm,” he tweeted.

Unvaccinated city Coun. Vivian Santos posted a video online Saturday urging all council members to work on “bringing the temperature down.”

“Fanning the flames for division are making a tense situation far worse than it needs to be,” she said.

As of Saturday, more than 80 per cent of Manitobans aged five and up have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Traffic on Broadway was limited to one lane in either direction Saturday, while authorities continued to warn about traffic delays and encourage commuters to avoid the area if possible.

— with files from Adam Treusch

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie