Did you know that there are some folks in Canada (like the Freedom Convoy organizers) that are NOT LEGALLY allowed to protest Covid mandates?
Well, meet Devlin Gannon.
Devlin is an independent journalist who was dramatically arrested during a Calgary, Alberta protest against Covid mandates.
For the last two years, Canadians have been gathering every weekend to protest and in recent weeks, Canada has been seeing some easing of Covid restrictions and mandates (only two years too late) throughout the country.
(Yes, Canada really has mandates after pretty much the entire world is back to normal)
Oddly enough, as restrictions ease in Calgary there has been a larger presence of counter-protesters.
Freedom haters as I like to call it.
(Which turned out to be paid activists but that's another story for another day...)
Last month, things got heated at a protest in Calgary. The city put in place an injunction – banning horns and loud noises (LOL) – and threatened protesters with arrest. Both freedom fighters and counter protesters ended up being tackled and arrested by police.
Devlin was one of them.
Devlin was on scene, camera in hand, reporting on the protest when several police officers started pushing him back and eventually tackled and violently arrested him. He ended up shirtless and beat up.
"They're not saying anything, not one, ‘You're under arrest,' not one, ‘You're being detained,' nothing," Devlin told Global News. "Four or five officers dive in, take me to the ground, pull me in every direction."
You can watch his arrest here.
But guess what? Alberta is the Texas of Canada and they're going to have to do better than that to keep Albertans down.
"It's sad," said Devlin. "I've been here, born and raised in Calgary, and I could say confidently that I could have never imagined something like that happening in the park, let alone to peaceful people."
Even though Devlin was now banned from entering the city's downtown core after his arrest, that did not stop him from continuing to peacefully protest.
It's is his democratic right after all!
Devlin, with some help from his friends, showed up at a recent protest in downtown Calgary.
But he looked a little different...
He was a floating head on a monitor, with a blue hoodie, camera and mic being pulled around in a wagon.
They said he wasn't allowed to enter the downtown core, but they didn't say anything about attending virtually!
Peaceful protests done right!
Devlin is not letting the government dictate what he can or cannot protest. He won't allow them to bully him and keep him down!
He just had to get a little creative to hold on to his right to protest AND to report on it.
Canadians know they need to keep it playful and this stunt brought smiles to many of us!
Keep at it, Devlin!
P.S. Now check out our latest video 👇
