There's An Unauthorized Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade Happening At Yonge & Dundas Right Now

Hundreds of people are in attendance, along with dozens of TPS officers.
Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest
Lance McMillan | Narcity Lance McMillan | Narcity
Staff Writer

You can find a few Santa Clauses downtown in Toronto right now, but instead of handing out presents, they're attending an anti-lockdown holiday parade.

The parade also has police in attendance, after they tweeted a warning on Friday that people should not go to the unauthorized "Santa-themed" gathering.

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Hundreds of people are currently gathered in Yonge / Dundas Square, along with several Toronto Police officers and Parking Enforcement Officers.

[rebelmouse-image 26004344 alt="Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest" photo_credit="Lance McMillan" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"]

The anti-mask/anti-lockdown protest is "Santa-themed," with some attendees in hats and others in full costume.

[rebelmouse-image 26004345 alt="Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest" photo_credit="Lance McMillan" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"]

The parade was announced back in October and is a spoof of Toronto's Santa Clause Parade, which took place online this year.

[rebelmouse-image 26004346 alt="Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest" photo_credit="Lance McMillan" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"]

It's organized by Chris Sky, a Toronto-based anti-masker who runs MAD, or Mothers Against Distancing, and other anti-lockdown organizations like The Line and Hugs Over Masks.

[rebelmouse-image 26004347 alt="Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest" photo_credit="Lance McMillan" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"]

Police tweeted on Friday night that no permits had been issued for the event, but officers had blocked intersections off and allowed the parade to move northbound from Yonge/Dundas square.

[rebelmouse-image 26004348 alt="Anti-Lockdown Holiday Parade At Yonge & Dundas Draws Hundreds Of People To Protest" photo_credit="Lance McMillan | Narcity" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"]

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  • Cormac O'Brien
    Cormac O'Brien was an Associate Editor at Narcity Canada, covering all things exciting and trending about Canada. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Journalism from the University of Victoria, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the campus newspaper and was awarded the BCYNA Community News Scholarship for his writing. He was also the producer and co-host of Now On Narcity, Narcity's flagship podcast.

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