Protesters leave noose at northern Alberta MLA’s house

A group of protesters in northern Alberta showed up at their MLA’s house and left behind a stand with a noose.

The UCP’s Tracy Allard says about 30 protesters showed up at her Grande Prairie home on Sunday.

Allard says police responded after being called by several neighbours and after about an hour and a half, the crowd dispersed.

But the people who came to her house left behind a stand with a noose that said, “no to masks, end the gov’t, hang ’em all.”

Here's a sample of comments to Allard's post after she shared news of the protest outside her home. #yeg #yyc #ableg #covid19ab pic.twitter.com/N68hNmcHR8

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 2, 2021

She calls the message a shocking act of aggression and a clear threat.

“Beyond my outrage and my shock, I feel a deep sadness. I feel heartbreak, because what I see behind this act is a growing fear that is gripping our community,” she wrote on Facebook.

“Whether you are terrified to get COVID, uncertain about taking a vaccine, or terrified to lose your job, whether your fear is that you will be judged for your choices or you are clinging to the last few dollars of your savings, it’s clear that people are scared.”

She says she is determined to listen to and serve her constituents during a time where so much hangs in the balance–but that her family needs to be left out of it.

“To the protesters: what you did yesterday was over the line. Did you consider the people in my neighbourhood, the preschool children that live in my cul-de-sac? This is not the way to seek change. You won’t get what you want through intimidation, threats, and bullying. And you won’t keep representatives that are invested in their jobs and working diligently on your behalf if you terrorize their families and their neighbourhoods,” she wrote.

“I want you to know that I am always willing to dig in, to ask more questions and to get better answers for my constituents. I believe the calibre of the life we lead is directly proportionate to the calibre of the questions we are willing to ask ourselves. I am fighting for freedom and I am fighting for choice. That said, I do not condone the tactics of intimidation and bullying and I will not stand for them.”

The MLA is getting some support from other party members, including Justice Minister Kaycee Madu.

I was horrified to hear of the intimidation @TracyAllardUCP was subject to recently. Public officials and their families deserve to feel safe, especially in their homes.

Intimidation and threats of violence are never acceptable and hurt the dialogue of our democracy.

— Kaycee Madu, KC, ECA (@KayceeMaduYEG) November 2, 2021

Madu tweeted that he was horrified to hear about the aggressive protest at Allard’s house over the weekend.

“Public officials and their families deserve to feel safe, especially in their homes. Intimidation and threats of violence are never acceptable and hurt the dialogue of our democracy,” he said.