A convoy of pickup trucks, vans, SUVs and cars is winding its way through Barrie today.
Dozens of vehicles gathered in the Sadlon Area parking lot and left at noon Saturday, heading left on Bayview Drive, then right onto Mapleview Drive.
“The message is we want our freedom back, we want to stop the lockdowns and we want to open business because the economy is going down,” said Geta Stankeviciene, who said she was from Barrie and was the event’s organizer.
“We support the people in Ottawa, for fighting for freedom, for choice and for rights,” added Stankeviciene, who was handing out route information to motorists entering the parking lot.
Ottawa has been snarled for more than a week by those with an anti-mandate message for government officials. Toronto is bracing for more of the same today.
Most of the vehicles parked in the Sadlon Arena lot Saturday incessantly honked their horns and flew Canadian flags, some attached to hockey sticks. There were also American flags and some vehicles had messages on their windows, such as ‘my choice’.
Just before noon, Barrie city police tweeted a message about the convoy: "Barrie police is advising motorists of a potential disruption of traffic in the City of Barrie that may impact travel in the Mapleview Drive, Bayfield Street, Cundles Road, Duckworth Street (area) and the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 400. Police will be monitoring and updates will be provided if necessary."
“We are aware of the event taking place and we are monitoring it, and that’s pretty much it,” said Peter Leon, Barrie police communications co-ordinator.
The convoy is to eventually loop its way back to Sadlon Arena later Saturday afternoon.
