TORONTO -- Three people have been fined after two protests in Mississauga last month in which COVID-19 protocols were not followed, police say.
All three individuals allegedly took part in an anti-mask protest at City Centre Drive and Duke of York Boulevard, organized by the group “Stand4Thee.”
Peel Regional Police say that more than 100 people were in attendance and that that participants were not wearing masks and not complying with the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA).
Prior to the provincewide shutdown and the implementation of the stay-at-home order, Peel Region was in the grey zone of Ontario's COVID-19 lockdown framework. In this category, outside gatherings were capped at 10 people as long as a two-metre distance can be maintained.
Exceptions were made only for religious services, weddings and funerals, in which up to 50 people were allowed to gather with physical distance.
Investigators say that a 30-year-old man from Lincoln, a 43-year-old man from Burlington and a 35-year-old man from Oakville were each issued fines of $880 in connection with the anti-mask protest.
Police say the people fined were participants and organizers of the protest.
The Oakville man was issued another fine following a second protest on March 23 at Matheson Boulevard and Hurontario Street. Police say that about 20 to 30 people gathered to protest the COVID-19 protocols in schools.
“Investigators are still in the process of identifying additional participants, and fines are pending,” police said in a news release issued Thursday.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police or reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
