RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh

(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)

Section 176 of the Criminal Code of Canada is where there may be language to criminally charge people who disrupted the Remembrance Day ceremony in Kelowna yesterday.

That section is titled: Disturbing religious worship or certain meetings, but the language is broad enough to possibly cover the situation where a woman set up a microphone to rant against COVID vaccination measures, RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh said at a news conference today, Nov. 12.

The clause also says it’s an offence to disrupt people who gather for “a moral, social or benevolent purpose.”

READ MORE: Police investigating anti-vax disruption of Kelowna Remembrance Day ceremony

“I believe, a group of people were gathering for a moral, social or benevolent purpose and they were interrupted,” MacIntosh said. “And, I believe that interruption was potentially criminal in nature and that fits into the definition of this and they could face criminal charges. I think the average person may agree to that.”

That being said, he stressed it’s Crown council who will decided. There may also be bylaw charges that apply, he said.

“It’s similar to, if a person were to walk into a religious service and interrupt it,” MacIntosh said. “It has a similar connotation and that's where the Criminal Code applies. It’s not something you see very often."

At this point, police are seeking help from the public who are asked to send in video or witness statements to a special email address that will be open until Nov. 30. That address is KelownaRemembranceDayVideos@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

READ MORE: Unofficial Kamloops Remembrance Day event turned into anti-vax rally

While video footage shows one woman at a microphone she set up, MacIntosh said there were an estimated 75 to 100 demonstrators at the event.

He’s asking that woman to identify herself and talk to police, and invited other protesters to send in video footage as they have a say in this as well.

"On Wednesday, police received “unsubstantiated” information that there could be a potential threat to the Lake Country Remembrance Day ceremony so it was moved,” MacIntosh said. As far as he knows, there were no incidents in Lake Country.

An unofficial ceremony was also disrupted by anti-vaccination protesters in Kamloops.

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