Canadian police encourage citizens to snitch on each other to fight ‘rising’ COVID cases
Winnipeg police say that they are asking citizens to call out large gatherings to ‘ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public, and we will continue to remind people of the measures they can take to ensure their own safety.’
(LifeSiteNews) – Police in a central Canadian city are actively encouraging their citizens to make use of COVID-19 “snitch lines” to call out large private gatherings, and promise they will “intervene” as needed to fine those found violating the law.
“In response to increasing cases of COVID-19, the Winnipeg Metro Region was moved to Critical Level (red). The Winnipeg Police Service has begun triaging calls from the public regarding gathering sizes in private residences and will dispatch resources to intervene as required,” reads the Winnipeg Police statement issued on November 4.
The Winnipeg police say that they are asking citizens to call out large gatherings to “ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public, and we will continue to remind people of the measures they can take to ensure their own safety.”
“The Winnipeg Police Service is one of a number of enforcement bodies who can intervene in breaches. Those who continue to gather in contravention of public health orders may be subject to enforcement action,” the statement concludes.
Initially, Winnipeg Police said that they would not be actively enforcing provincially imposed COVID-19 gathering restrictions.
That changed when the city of Winnipeg went into a provincial mandated “red” critical lockdown last week. Most businesses were shut down and severe gathering restrictions were imposed, limiting both private and public gatherings to no more than a household plus five additional people.
Fines for those found breaking the new gathering restrictions now stand at $1,296, up from $486, and police will be taking down the names of those in any gatherings to “pass on” to local health officials.
Allison Pejovic, alawyer for the Alberta based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) told LifeSiteNews that the Winnipeg Police snitching policy is a “dangerous road” which could lead to a society where“regular people are treated like criminals.”
“It is a concern when the message to society is that individuals should take on a role that is normally reserved for law enforcement, and assist police in reporting their neighbors’ behaviors,” Pejovic told LifeSiteNews.
full story at https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/canadian-police-encourage-citizens-to-snitch-on-each-other-to-fight-rising-covid-cases