Protesters outnumber potheads at 4/20 rally

Large crowds of people gathered at Sunset Beach in Downtown Vancouver on Tuesday for 4/20 and an anti-mask rally, despite COVID -19 restrictions.

The “official” 4/20 event was cancelled this year and in 2020 because of the pandemic, but that didn't stop people from gathering at Sunset Beach, where an informal marketplace was set up hawking cannabis and other related goods.

Anti-maskers and anti-COVID-restriction protesters also gathered at a “legalize freedom” rally at the beach.

The crowds were monitored by park rangers and Vancouver police, but the level of enforcement, if any, is unclear.

Vancouver police said the number of tickets issued at the event Tuesday wasn't yet available.

The park board said rangers don't have the authority to issue fines, but reminded people about wearing masks, social distancing, and the smoking ban in parks and beaches.

Last weekend hundreds of people gathered at parties on Kitsilano Beach and English Bay in defiance of public health orders that ban outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people.

B.C. is grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases, with hospitalizations from the virus at record highs.

Vancouver police Sgt. Steve Addison said that as the weather improves and more people flock outside, the VPD will work with bylaw officers, park rangers, liquor inspectors and public health officers to create a more co-ordinated approach to discourage large public gatherings.

This may include enforcement, but also more education and information about COVID -19 safety protocols, he said.

Vancouver police have issued more than $108,000 in COVID -related fines this year.