Kelowna man Bruce Orydzuk was seen protesting COVID-19 vaccinations outside of the Trinity Church, July 13, 2021.

(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Two anti-vaccine protesters in Kelowna have been charged related to two separate incidents over the last year.

One protester, Bruce Boyd Orydzuk, was filmed on a racist tirade toward Paladin Security guard Anmol Singh outside a Kelowna vaccine clinic on July 13, 2021 by iNFOnews.ca reporter Carli Berry.

READ MORE: The political links between racism and COVID-19 vaccination protests

Orydzuk, born in 1961, is now facing just one charge of causing a disturbance, which was laid on April 7, according to court records.

Linda Denise Jackson has also been charged for disturbing the order or solemnity of a meeting following an incident at a Kelowna Remembrance Day event.

READ MORE: Kelowna enters a new price bracket for 'luxury' homes

On Nov. 11, 2021, Kelowna RCMP began investigating after a woman took the microphone at Kelowna's City Park cenotaph to oppose COVID-19 restrictions.

The protester and backlash from the Remembrance Day crowd was recorded in a Global Okanagan video.

Jackson, born in 1965, was charged yesterday, April 12, according to court records.

Orydzuk is also facing another charge for uttering threats against a Global Okanagan reporter in August.

Jackson is scheduled to appear in court on May 19 and Orydzuk on May 26, RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh said during a police briefing today, April 13.

While Orydzuk's protest was investigated as a hate crime, Insp. MacIntosh would not say if hate crime charges were recommended by Kelowna RCMP.

"The elements of the offence of hate speech are certainly higher than causing a disturbance and so forth," he said. "Although a person can say something that would be offensive or reprehensible doesn't necessarily constitute the rise to where it be a charge. B.C. Prosecution (Service) reviews the case and independently decides on what would be the most appropriate charge based on the evidence."

Insp. MacIntosh said the charges of disturbing the order or solemnity of a meeting that were laid against Jackson are rare. He said she crossed the line beyond a simple peaceful protest when she took control of the microphone at the Remembrance Day event.

He would not say what kind of penalty either of them face.

 — This story was updated at 1:45 p.m. on April 13, 2022 to include more information from RCMP Insp. MacIntosh.

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