Ontario Town Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of 'Civil Unrest' At Anti-Mask Rally
An Ontario town has declared a state of emergency ahead of its second anti-mask march.
Aylmer's state of emergency was announced in the early evening on Monday, November 2.
Police say that it's "in direct response to a 2nd Anti-Masking Freedom March planned for Nov 7th."
Editor's Choice: McDonald's Canada Is Offering Free Big Macs For An Entire Week
The potential for civil unrest and service disruptions, has prompted this response.
Aylmer Police
The mayor of Aylmer said in the declaration that, above all else, the state of emergency "conveys the serious of the circumstance" to the residents, levels of government, and officials.
An unplanned "freedom march" had taken place in the town on October 24, attended by hundreds of people, Aylmey's mayor told CBC.
The outlet reports that, on Instagram, this weekend's rally is being described as a "peaceful" and "family friendly" event.
Back in the spring, an Aylmer church came under fire for hosting an illegal drive-in service.
The pastor had reportedly encouraged church members to attend despite a formal warning from police.
In the summer, the town became somewhat of a mini COVID-19 hot spot.
In August, the municipality saw an uptick in cases, reportedly due to inadequate social distancing and large gatherings.