In response to the altercation between a protester and high school students in Oliver last week, Premier John Horgan said “it's just not acceptable.”
Last Friday, a group of protesters showed up at Oliver's Southern Okanagan Secondary School, and a confrontation ensued between at least one of the protesters and students.
The RCMP has since confirmed that Silke Schulze of Oliver was handed a $2,300 fine for breaching the recently passed Access to Services COVID-19 Vaccination Act, which protects hospitals, COVID-19 clinics and schools from being impeded or disrupted.
During Thursday's press conference, Horgan condemned the protesters' actions.
“People yelling at school children for wearing masks, when this is a decision that's been made in collaboration with families, with educators, with school boards, it's just not acceptable,” he said.
“A citizen yelling or threatening a health-care worker or citizens yelling and threatening children, that is not how we should act. We need to hang together, and I know the vast majority, like 90 per cent, of British Columbians are thinking and living that way and I'm very grateful to live in a province that has been responsive to the challenges by working together.”
When Horgan was asked about health-care workers on Vancouver Island being harassed by protesters, he said he felt “profound disappointment.”
“We can disagree but we shouldn't be disagreeable,” he said. “The last thing these heroes need is thuggery and belligerence ... It's just not acceptable, I think I speak for all British Columbians, profound regret that there is that level of stupidity in some of our fellow citizens.”
Wednesday, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen Roly Russell used his time in the Provincial Legislature to ask other protesters to condemn those who are spewing hateful messages.
