Bubble zones backed after anti-vax flyers handed out near Windsor, Ont. school

Windsor, Ont. -

Calls for anti-public health safety zones or bubble zones are renewed in Windsor-Essex after some parents say they were handed anti-vaccine flyers outside their children’s elementary school on Monday.

Bronwyn Greenacre says two individuals were standing outside Princess Elizabeth Public School on school property before dismissal on Monday afternoon, handing “American propaganda” flyers through car windows.

“Right away I called the school and let them know what was going on,” Greenacre says.

Greenacre says the principal was able to have the people leave with assistance from parents, noting the people with flyers became confrontational while appearing to record the events.

“It’s just disturbing,” Greenacre explains. “You can have an opinion, everybody can have their own opinion and everybody thinks differently, but to throw this at our kids is to me, disgusting.”

Greenacre says a group of parents are trying to get together to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky says she renewed discussions Tuesday at Queens Park to prevent anti-public health protests from taking place within a certain distance from a hospital, schools and businesses.

“What we’re seeing is an increase not only in those protests, but the aggressiveness of the people that are participating in those protests,” Gretzky adds. “And the fact that we have workers that are trying to go to work in healthcare, in education and in our local businesses who are being harassed and in some cases being prevented from being able to go into work.”

Gretzky says the escalation of aggressiveness at various protests is completely unacceptable, telling CTV News she’s heard from parents, education workers and those in healthcare.

“While I think they should be able to share an opinion, nobody should be able to harass somebody who is trying to go to work or come out of a place of business,” she says.

Gretzky says anti-health protest zones aren’t meant to stop people from expressing their opinions, but rather to ensure safety to others.

“I think it’s really important that we have safety zone in place so that people are kept from a certain distance from our schools, so that parents or our caregivers that are walking kids to school or picking them up or have kids themselves, that they’re able to do so uninterrupted and without feeling as though they are being judge or being harassed when all they simply are trying to do is get to and from a school, and I would say that for the people that work within the education sector as well,” she says.

Legislation was voted against earlier this month, but Gretzky says she continues to push the government for it, raising the topic Tuesday morning.

“Not having legislation in place to address that and to be able to have enforcement measures is allowing that kind of behaviour to escalate and making it a much more difficult situation,” Gretzky explains.

Officials with the Greater Essex County District School Board say there haven’t been any incidents on school grounds, noting parents should contact their school to determine if police attention is required.

The board issued a statement to CTV News saying: “No one is legally permitted to be on school property without expressed permission. As we are also concerned for the safety and well-being of students, their families and staff in public areas – especially during drop off and pick up times – we ask anyone near schools to be respectful and not to create a hazardous situation for pedestrians or drivers.”

Greenacre says she called police after the situation at her son’s school.

“I called them and they said ‘you know there’s really nothing we can do right now unless the school calls us right?’”

Windsor police declined to comment.

Greenacre says she plans to have her 10-year-old vaccinated later this week, not wanting to encounter anyone opposed.

“They have their rights, we have our rights, so if I want to take my son to get the vaccine, I shouldn’t be stopped, Greenacre adds. “I shouldn’t be harassed, I shouldn’t have someone else’s belief shoved in my face.”