Antivaccine-passport activists set their sights on Yaletown restaurants in midst of food festival

The Taste of Yaletown is intended to bring diners into the neighbourhood's numerous dining establishments

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      Earlier this week, the Straight reported on organized efforts by antivaccine-passport activists to target Metro Vancouver's restaurant sector.

      Today, they appear to be preparing to zero in on Yaletown, which is home to many dining establishments.

      The demonstrators will begin with a "Vancouver Freedom Picnic" at David Lam Park.

      A poster on a Facebook page under the name of Chris Vee states: "If we can't eat inside, I guess we'll just have to sit outside!"

      Vee's Facebook page also includes a map of Yaletown showing a long list of restaurants.

      It suggests that some of these eateries will be the focus of a "Red Team", whereas others are on a list for a "Blue Team".

      This image appears on a Facebook page under the name of Chris Vee.
      Facebook

      There is no biographical information about Chris Vee on the page. He posts anti-vaccine-passport videos from different cities on another website.

      Yaletown restaurants, like others across the country, have suffered an enormous financial setback as a result of the pandemic. On October 1, the Yaletown Business Association brought back the Taste of Yaletown, a monthlong festival intended to encourage diners to eat in the neighbourhood.

      Now, it appears that the anti-vaccine-passport demonstrators want to crash the party. 

      This week, a post by another member of the movement, Yvonne Sunshiney Coelho, also highlighted the "Vancouver Freedom Picnic".

      A commenter, Lisa Do Fonzo, asked: "Are we then moving to Mainland and Yaletown area to sit in front of restaurants? I hope so!"

      Coelho replied that "The Great Awakening of the people is here in 2021. #epic"

      Another commenter, Joel Brown, followed up by highlighting "how desperate they are to contain a mass awakening".

      "When people realize our entire history, our reality, our medicines, our media, and more has been managed and policed by an elitist empire that wages war on us and God then there will be no going back," Brown wrote.

      Vee was among the 19 people who liked or loved Brown's post.

      A 20th person, Jack Hummell, indicated that he cared about the post.

      Earlier this summer, Hummell posted the following message on his Facebook page declaring a belief in murder under certain circumstances, including masking or vaccinating children.

      This message was posted this summer on the Facebook page of antivaccine-passport activist Jack Hummell.
      Facebook

      This week, Straight.com posted a nonscientific online poll asking the following question: "Should the B.C. government legislate an exclusion zone to protect restaurant staff from antivaccine-passport protests?"

      As of this writing, 77 percent of those who responded answered "yes".

      To date, the B.C. government has not demonstrated any interest in creating bubble zones around restaurants.

      Under a provincial health order, these establishments are required to confirm that patrons have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to be admitted onto the premises. The business owners have no choice but to ask for this proof if they don't want to risk losing their provincial liquor licences.

      Update

      The person calling himself Chris Vee posted this on his Facebook page.

      Chris Vee posted this message on his Facebook page.

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