Tickets issued at Steinbach rally

Streets were blocked off around Steinbach’s city hall Saturday afternoon for a protest planned by the Hugs Over Masks organization.

RCMP say they issued ten tickets for Saturday's event and two for previous events. Two attendees were ticketed as they were leaving partway through the protest while the other fines were handed out by police and enforcement officers after the speeches ended just after 4 p.m.

RCMP expect to deliver more fines as they continue to identify people from the event.

Much of the crowd that gathered at 225 Reimer Ave. hung back on the street rather than gathering near City Hall. The crowd size ranged from approximately 50 to 100 participants at its peak.

A crowd of 50 to 100 people gathered for the Hugs Over Masks protest in Steinbach Saturday.

Speeches rambled on for nearly two hours covering topics including the Canadian banking system and politics, Bill Gates, disdain for the media, and the benefits of homemade yogurt and pickles.

Two local speakers, Tobias Tissen from the Church Of God Restoration and Wayne Sturby of the Manitoba Party, both called for an end to the lockdown.