Thread by @joececiyyc

As the Provincial representative for the Beltline, I’ve been hearing from constituents on the impacts of the long-running Saturday rallies in our community.

Here's some of what I've heard (identities removed for safety)👇🏼

🧵 1/20 #ableg #yyc #yycbeltline globalnews.ca/news/8661504/c…

First, a warning: this thread contains some highly disturbing content. 2/

“We’re unable to live our lives in the Beltline community where we own our home," one resident writes. "We cannot leave our home on weekends by car for fear of getting stuck... We can’t leave on foot for fear of getting stuck in their foot marches.” 3/

This constituent continues, “Last week I was called a child abuser and was threatened to be raped.” 4/

"I was unable to get to urgent care last weekend after my wife cut her hand with a knife," one constituent wrote to me. "I was held up by CPS officers and they watched as her blood dripped through the cloth and only after they had all walked past 4th st would he let me cross.” 5/

Another constituent writes, "They leave the park littered with garbage, signs, and stickers all over the benches and light poles in the area. Additionally, I have been yelled at several times for wearing a mask. I do not feel safe walking my dog on Saturdays." 6/

"It has got to the point where I need to leave my own community every Saturday just to avoid the people that come downtown to participate," one resident says. "The amount of racism and disrespect shown to our fellow community members makes me quite angry." 7/

Another writes, "Like most residents of the area, I avoid 4th Street & 17th Avenue every Saturday afternoon." 8/

And another writes, "I feel feel unsafe in my own neighbourhood." 9/

One person says they saw "a man was blocking a cross walk full of pedestrians in a green convertable mustang with 2 large dogs revving his engine at people trying to cross and firing an airhorn at pedestrians from very close distance." 10/

One person who was escorting children reported that they were accosted by a man who shouted that it was child abuse to have children wearing masks. 11/

A business told me that their customers have been verbally attacked while sitting on their patio. Now they close the patio until 4 pm - that’s about $6,000 in revenue that they lose every Saturday. 12/

Another business reports monthly losses of up to $50,000 thanks to the demonstration. 13/

One shop reports that protesters have previously set up outside the shop door and yelled at anyone wearing a mask who wanted to go in. Customers just stopped coming. 14/

That shop reports revenue reductions of up to 36% compared to normal Saturdays, usually their busiest day of the week. Long-term staff have left because of the abuse. 15/

Arts groups have had to cancel planned and permitted events for Memorial Park. 16/

Staff in some businesses have been abused so badly that the owners won’t ask them to work on Saturday. They cover the shifts themselves. 17/

One business owner hasn’t been able to open a new location on Saturdays because of the protests. 18/

We know that healthcare workers have been taunted and harassed as they go to work at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre. Some are scared to show up for their shift or to go to their car when it’s time to go home, because the abuse has been so awful. 19/ calgaryherald.com/news/local-new…

That is just a sample of what I've heard. Residents and businesses are dealing with this chaos every Saturday. It has to stop.

It's time for @jkenney, @shandro and the UCP government to do more to ensure the safety of this wonderful community. #ableg #yyc #yycbeltline 🧵 20/20