VicPD warn of downtown traffic disruptions due to protest

Demonstrations against public health mandates introduced during the pandemic returned to downtown Victoria Saturday, at times disrupting traffic throughout the downtown core.

Starting in the early afternoon, the Victoria Police Department took to Twitter to warn motorists of intermittent traffic disruptions at the intersection of Pandora Avenue and Douglas Street as a line of vehicles – mostly trucks of varying sizes – decorated with Canadian flags and protest slogans, stretched from the downtown core to Quadra Street, slowly making their way to the grounds of the B.C. legislature.

A protest group is currently intermittently blocking traffic at the intersection of Douglas & Pandora. Our officers are working to keep #yyjtraffic moving, however there are disruptions #yyj.

— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) February 19, 2022

As the day wore on, Belleville Street immediately in front of the legislature grounds was closed to vehicle traffic, with police barricades set up at Government and Menzies streets.

Pls continue to avoid the @BCLegislature area, as demonstrators remain there. Belleville, btwn Menzies & Government is closed. #yyjtraffic is heavily disrupted in that area. Additional congestion in downtown #yyj. Thank you for your patience.

— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) February 19, 2022

After several hours of speeches near the legislature building’s front stairs, police tweeted the demonstrators were beginning to march north on Government, but shortly after reported the march had returned to the legislature, though some traffic disruptions were expected to continue.

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City of Victoria COVID-19 Greater Victoria protest Victoria Police Department

Hundreds of demonstrators returned to the grounds of the B.C. legislature Saturday, Feb. 19, to protest public health mandates introduced during the pandemic. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)