Up to 500 people gathered outside GraceLife Church west of Edmonton on Sunday, four days after Alberta Health Services shut down and fenced off the building. The health agency says it will remove the fences when the church shows it will comply with public health measures meant to contain the spread of the virus.
“It would be accurate to say that the event attracted far-right and right-wing conspiracy-minded individuals for sure,” said Elizabeth Simons, the deputy director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, who was monitoring the crowd.GraceLife Church and its pastor, James Coates, are charged under the Public Health Act for holding services that break health restrictions related to capacity, physical distancing and masking. They have a trial set for May.
Simons agreed many of the people participating in the demonstration were not associated with the church and it included a familiar set of characters from Canada's hate movements and their supporters. Simons says everyday people who may be vulnerable and lack critical thinking skills or media literacy are more susceptible to far-right messaging.
One of the most vacuous and meaningless terms that gets bandied about is “conspiracy theorist”. You can be branded this now for merely distrusting people who have a track record of lying.
Who'da tunk dat eh?
And then He created idiots.
What expert? What makes him a this so called expert
Expert discredits sincerely concerned citizens through baseless smear
Lol canadas fake news
Experts? Don’t need an expert to come to that conclusion.
These people could care less about attending church it’s only to continue their narrative
macarthur54 Shut this shit down Kenney !
which expert? 🥴
Take them down to the hospitals maskless. Visit e v e r y single sick person. Send them home, lock them in & see the conspiracy slowly die away. Any luck at least 1 less person to pass on stupid genes. 😈
It’s Okay They’re wHite
No surprise. Church goers will believe anything.
Go figure!
Yup pretty much a dipshit convention
stop the fake news , CTV is the CNN of the north
Nothing like stating the obvious
The church should be demolished and then there's nothing to gather for. COVIDIOTS
A bunch of lobotomized fools chanting in unison ought to be tazed. Start thinking of others!
And stupid people!!!
Nut jobs like this are going to cost us huge in medical costs. Every anti-vax/anti-mask person that gets sick from Covid, and then encounters long term health issues as a result will tax the systems for years. Maybe they should pay a covidiot co-pay for not getting vaccinated?
What a garbage article citing the 'expert' opinion of Elizabeth Simons, the deputy director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. It's a clear example of government funded media trying to discredit peaceful religious people protesting rights violations.
Obviously!!! They have to me somewhat mentally deficient to protest outside a church who was being defiant for a year and breaking the law.
So, it’s a conspiracy to believe our immune system can protect us from COVID? That the government has internment camps, that our government wants a “reset”, that our government is robbing us. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy. Media is lying to us that’s the truth.
Of course, unfortunately the unintended consequences are the anarchists who are attracted to any protest where they can make matters far worse.
More so-called 'experts'. What ,by the way,makes an assistant deputy director more of an 'expert ' than anybody else ? What a joke ....
Conspiracy theorists = Ignorant morons.
Nut jobs.. all of 'em.
This is the BS you MSM mf's keep spewing to us. It's not 'conpiracy theorists'.... It's 'critical thinkers'.
No shit? Wouldn’t have thought people who whole heartedly believe in a celestial boogeyman would fall for conspiracies.
Alberta dumb
Oh Alberta🙄🤦🏻♀️
They need to take these freaks on a tour of any ICU in the Toronto area to open their eyes.
You mean this gathering 'exemplifies' right-wing extremism. It is not 'exemplary' of anything. 'Exemplary' means desirable or the best of something, in a positive sense.
Every fringe group is coming out of their hiding places thinking they amongst friends.
No shit.
Who let out the crazy christians Like seriously. This doesnt surprise me. Conservative christians who think they know better BUT DONT. I hope they all get covid and experience what they consider to be fake. Maybe that will open their eyes sadly.