Remembrance Day disruption case in Kelowna, BC still making its way through the court system – Okanagan

Just over a year ago, the southern interior of British Columbia made national headlines when a Remembrance Day ceremony in Kelowna quickly turned from a solemn affair to an angry affair. .

After the ceremony around the Cenotaph in City Park ended, a woman with a microphone and loudspeaker began speaking out against the COVID-19 health measures that were in place at the time.

In an instant, many in the crowd immediately expressed their displeasure, saying that now was neither the right time nor the right place to discuss such things.

Fast forward five months, and police have charged Linda Denise Jackson, born in 1965, with a rarely used offense under the Criminal Code of Canada: section 176(3), disturbing the order or solemnity of a meeting.

The information (charging document) was sworn in on April 12, with police holding a press conference the following day.

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Anger in Kelowna after Remembrance Day ceremony disrupted by anti-vaxxers

Jackson’s first court appearance was on May 19. Since then, the case has been in court eight more times, with the last appearance on October 31.

The next court date will be Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m., more than a year after the incident.

During the press conference, Insp. Adam MacIntosh said, « Kelowna RCMP officers support the right of an individual or group to protest, but when they choose to deliberately interrupt the citizens’ assembly during a day Remembrance is going too far.

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Kelowna RCMP explain criminal code that applies to Remembrance Day disruption

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