Prominent anti-vax protester expected at Kamloops demonstration today

A prominent anti-vaccine protester is expected in Kamloops for a demonstration today.

An event poster online lists Chris "Sky" Saccoccia as a speaker at a protest on Nov. 3, which is expected to take place at Riverside Park at 6 p.m. Saccoccia, an Ontario resident, is expected to take part in a protest earlier around 11 a.m. the same day.

Saccoccia shared the event poster to his Twitter account just after 12 a.m. on Nov. 3, which appeared to first be published on a local anti-vaccine social media page.

The size of the crowd anticipated is not known, but RCMP say they are aware of the protest and will be monitoring it.

"We will be there from a position of public safety," Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Const. Crystal Evelyn said. "People have the lawful right to protest peacefully and lawfully in this country."

Kamloops RCMP have been present at other protests against vaccines and public health orders, with the most substantial being the Sept. 1 protest in front of Royal Inland Hospital, which gathered hundreds of supporters.

There was little in the way of police enforcement necessary at that demonstration with the exception of one person arrested for throwing eggs at protesters.

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