Demonstration in Quebec this weekend: citizens and merchants on the alert

The good progress of the demonstrations of two weeks ago reassures citizens and merchants of Quebec, but they remain all the same on the alert with the arrival of the “Woodstock of freedom”, this weekend.

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“What was most irritating the last time was the incessant noise of the trucks. Some had to get anti-anxiety medication for them or their animals, ”says Alexandra-Maude Grenier, president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste district council.

The words of one of the organizers of the “Woodstock of freedom”, which was to begin this evening, about an “alternative” to the horns therefore reassured more than one.

“It’s true that the flutes are tiring, all the time all the time”, agreed Bernard Gauthier, earlier this week.

A respect demanded

In addition to the noise, citizens deplored a few incidents of dangerous driving, people urinating outside and truckers smoking walkers two weeks ago.

But apart from these few unfortunate events, everything went well, noted local residents.

“It went well, so we are hopeful that it will continue this time again. They can demonstrate, but must do so with respect for everyone,” said Michel Massé, president of the Citizens Committee of Old Quebec.

Area residents interviewed by The newspaper also said they were reassured by the granting of new powers to the police of Quebec, to better supervise the demonstration.

Concerns

In addition, a survey conducted by the Société de développement commercial (SDC) du Vieux-Québec has established that approximately two-thirds of their members anticipated loss of income this weekend.

“But a lot of the cancellations that happened last time were eventually filled by the protesters,” said SDC chief executive Donald Gilbert.

This is what Christopher Chouinard, owner of the Grand Café located on Grande Allée, observed. “We don’t know what to expect, but we weren’t too affected the weekend of February 5. We will adjust as always, ”he underlines.

Concerns were a little greater on the side of the Hilton hotel, at the corner of Avenue Honoré-Mercier and Boulevard René-Lévesque. The latest demonstration caused several cancellations and hasty departures.

“We called in additional security guards to make sure everything was going well, but we have no control over the noise,” laments the establishment’s marketing director, Gina Cuglietta.