Thousands expected in downtown Vancouver for weekend protests

Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver this weekend, with at least 11 protests planned around the city.

Two large-scale demonstrations in support of protests in Iran are expected Saturday afternoon around the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) and Robson Square.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says around 6,000 protesters gathered in various demonstrations relating to ICE in the United States, the uprising in Tehran, the genocide in Gaza, and others. One of the larger protests saw thousands gather at the VAG.

“That amount of people was overflowing onto the road,” VPD Const. Megan Lui told 1130 NewsRadio.

“We had to have officers block each side of the intersection just to ensure people are safe.”

Lui says police needed to step in in at least one case.

“There were two opposite sides that were having conflict,” she said.

“Our officers had to intervene just so it wouldn’t escalate to physical conflict.”

This weekend, the VPD says it has deployed an extra 130 officers on foot and on bikes, as well as some specifically trained to manage large crowds.

Sgt. Steve Addison says everyone has a right to gather lawfully and express themselves peacefully.

“Our officers will have a visible presence at protests and gathering spots throughout the city to ensure everyone’s safety,” Addison said.

“We hope people will respect each other’s points of view and rights to express themselves, even if they don’t agree.”

— With files from Ben Bouguerra