City of Toronto, Toronto Police prepare for "Freedom Convoy" protestors

The City of Toronto and Toronto Police Service are preparing for members of the “Freedom Convoy” to make their way to Queen’s Park this weekend.

Rumours of a convoy headed to Toronto have been swirling throughout the week, and while it’s not clear how many people plan to show up, the City and police are taking it seriously.

“The City is aware of a possible protest scheduled for Toronto and the GTA that is being promoted on social media. The City and its agency partners are monitoring and will provide any updates as needed as the weekend nears,” a spokesperson for the City of Toronto told Daily Hive in an email.

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A Toronto Police Service spokesperson also said they were aware of plans for a protest on Saturday, February 5, in the downtown core.

“The Service will have a policing operation in place to ensure public safety and keep emergency access routes to hospitals clear,” a spokesperson for TPS told Daily Hive in an email.

Queen’s Park is near several hospitals. It is just down the road from Toronto General Hospital, SickKids Hospital, and Mount Sinai Hospital.

“Over the coming days, we will continue to liaise with organizers and partner agencies. Any updates, including disruption to travel, will be communicated to the public at the earliest opportunity,” the TPS spokesperson continued.

According to a post on Reddit, the convoy plans to head to Toronto for Saturday with several meeting locations. The poster for the convoy indicates that they plan to arrive at Queen’s Park by noon.

It is unclear if the snowstorm set to dump 10 to 20 cm of snow on the city will deter the protestors or delay their plans.