Fear and distrust of both the RCMP and the media are preoccupying Axe the Tax protesters.
Organizers accuse the RCMP of treating them differently than other groups, and say they were told by RCMP they could be along the side of the road and were later told they couldn't. They also accuse the media of not reporting the “truth” after being "bought and paid for by the federal government."
On social media, protesters have expressed frustration with police, saying they are not treated with the same respect and kindness as they treat other protesters.
“The Black Lives Matter movement they shut down cities,” an organizer from the Saskatchewan – Manitoba protest along Highway 1 told RCMP officers Wednesday, adding that teachers in Regina have shut down roads, and they aren’t penalized.
Online, protesters expressed the same sentiment, pointing out that Toronto police officers delivered coffee and doughnuts to pro-Palestinian protesters in January.
And as soon as there is a strong police presence at any of their locations, protesters take to social media, expressing fear of a repeat of the police brutality against protesters during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act.
On Tuesday, protesters in Saskatchewan were encouraging others to go to Cochrane, Alta., to help with what they called a “heavy police presence” there of officers in riot gear and packing semi-automatic weapons.
Alberta RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney told SaskToday.ca in an email Wednesday that they had their Public Order Team present a few days in Cochrane and confirmed they were armed.
“The majority of our officers are trained and authorized to use carbine rifles. It is a part of their equipment.”
Protesters said there were more than 100 officers at the Cochrane site.
Alberta RCMP, however, denied there were that many.
“We would never give details as to our operations, however, I can tell you that it was far less than 100 officers,” said Cpl. Slaney.
Watch: Organizer of the Saskatchewan - Manitoba Highway 1 protest tells RCMP Wednesday they are flip-flopping.
On social media, protesters are expressing distrust of the media and have verbally attacked reporters who came to their location, accusing them of being bought and paid for by the federal Liberal government to report only what the government wants.
“How can you sleep at night,” one woman is heard saying to a reporter and her cameraman in Cochrane. “You’re traitors. How can you do that. Shame on you.”
Watch: Protester hollers at reporter, "How can you sleep at night?"
SaskToday.ca reached out to the protest organizers for comments. A Saskatchewan–Manitoba organizer did reply saying he would give an interview but didn’t follow through.
Across the country, Canadians started holding Axe the Tax protest on April 1 calling for the immediate and permanent removal of the carbon tax. The protests are mainly at the interprovincial borders across Canada but also at many cities and towns from coast to coast.
In Saskatchewan, protests are at three highway locations. Two on the TransCanada Highway: Fleming, Sask., - Kirkella, Man.; Cypress County, Alta., - Maple Creek, Sask.; and one on the Yellowhead Highway between Lloydminster, Alta., - North Battleford, Sask.
Demonstrations are along the highways and some protesters are camped at nearby camp sites.
The Nationwide Protest Against the Carbon Tax Facebook group has 180,000 members. There are also individual provincial groups with members.
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