‘Personal attack against my home’: Protesters target North Island MLA

CHEK
WatchNorth Island NDP MLA Michele Babchuck was at home Saturday afternoon taking part in a virtual NDP convention when she says she and her husband were disrupted by cars honking and a large crowd gathering outside her Campbell River home.

North Island NDP MLA Michele Babchuck was at home Saturday afternoon taking part in a virtual NDP convention when she says she and her husband were disrupted by cars honking and a large crowd gathering outside her Campbell River home.

“And it turned a professional-level discussion, even if we were disagreeing, into a personal attack against my home, my neighbours, my family and myself,” Babchuk told CHEK News Tuesday.

The group is called North Island Concerned Citizens, led by Christian McCay, who posted a video of the protest online.

“Michele is obligated as our elected MLA to raise our concerns to the ministers and legislatures of B.C. She is refusing to do so,” he said in the video.

Babchuk says she has had in-person and Zoom discussions with the group and disagrees with its anti-vaccine and anti-vaccine passport position and will not advocate for them.

RELATED: Vancouver Island MLA says anti-vaccine protesters targeted her home

Another incident on Dec. 1, according to the MLA, resulted in about 20 protesters taking over her Campbell River constituency office. Babchuk says she met with three members of the same group, who refused to wear masks inside, and then after their time was up and she didn’t promise them meetings with higher-level officials one of the men allowed about 20 protesters outside into the office through the locked front door.

“We’ve read our demands that we’re requesting she represent us,” McCay can be heard saying on the video.

“The mood was sort of a vigilante, he (McCay) described it as occupying the office and consequently the button was pushed to alert the police to come down to the office,” Babchuk said.

Members of the Campbell River RCMP could be seen arriving and arresting two people.

In a disturbing vaccine protest at the B.C. Legislature last week, effigies of Premier John Horgan and Dr. Bonnie Henry were used in a mock hanging.

“I’m more worried about the escalation we’re seeing, the level of aggression and the level of unlawful discourse,” added Babchuk.

Campbell River, RCMP says one man was arrested for mischief in relation to the incident at Michele Babchuk’s home.

Christian McCay has identified himself on video as being that person.

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Dean StoltzDean Stoltz

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