Prominent anti-restriction activist Chris sa国际传媒淪kysa国际传媒� Saccoccia has taken to Twitter to thank local Mounties for their minimal presence at his Stuart Park rally, saying the only officers who showed up were supportive of his cause. The Kelowna RCMP, however, denies Saccociasa国际传媒檚 claims.

The increasingly popular figure who touts the idea of sa国际传媒渦nited non-compliancesa国际传媒� spoke to a crowd of a couple of hundred supporters on Thursday evening (April 22), inciting them to violate provincial health orders.

Following the rally, Saccoccia posted a photo of him shaking hands with an officer and a video praising local law enforcement for their support.

sa国际传媒淭hey werensa国际传媒檛 wearing masks,sa国际传媒� he said of two officers on bikes who approached him before the rally began. sa国际传媒淎nd you know what they said? They said, sa国际传媒榃esa国际传媒檙e here to make sure yousa国际传媒檙e all safe and to help you fight for our freedoms.sa国际传媒� Thatsa国际传媒檚 the Kelowna police.sa国际传媒�

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Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy of the Kelowna RCMP said the detachment is aware of the claims Saccoccia is making but said officerssa国际传媒� interactions with Saccoccia during the rally came only in reminding the protest organizers of the laws and order pertaining to their protest.

sa国际传媒淭he Kelowna RCMP is an impartial entity, and does not support any event that is in violation of the law, or public health orders, and we strongly discourage any actions that potentially put our community at risk. Our officers were present to ensure the safety of the public and the protestors, and to prevent confrontations,sa国际传媒� said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy in an email to the Capital News.

The handshake photo, according to Noseworthy, was taken before the protest in another location.

sa国际传媒淲e can confirm he was wearing his mask during this interaction,sa国际传媒� she said.

Noseworthy added the officers who were at the protest wore masks and followed health orders.

Saccocciasa国际传媒檚 Kelowna appearance is one of many on his cross-country sa国际传媒淔reedom Convoy.sa国际传媒� Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe condemned the rallies and said Saccoccia is not welcome in the province.

In recent months, Saccoccia has managed to get himself charged for breaking the Quarantine Act, banned from and placed on the no-fly list, all the while making a name for himself among anti-restriction crowds across the nation.

The has revealed past comments Saccoccia made denying the holocaust and some that tout anti-Semitic, anti-Black, homophobic and Islamophobic rhetoric.

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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