Doug Ford begs protesters to stop scaring kids in his neighbourhood
Premier Doug Ford is asking anti-mask and anti-COVID-19 restriction protesters to stop coming around his home every Saturday morning because the neighbourhood's kids are getting scared.
"It"s not about me," said Ford during his press briefing Monday. "But I have the best neighbours in the world, and my street is packed with little kids."
When protesters show up at 10 a.m. each weekend, the kids don't go out to play like they normally would, said Ford, who explained that children are always out playing road hockey on his street but no longer do so when protesters come around.
"My neighbours didn't sign up for this, I did. I signed up to be premier...If you want to protest me, God bless you, freedom of speech, come down here and protest, do whatever you want," he said. "But please leave my neighbours and the kids alone."
Although it may be unintentional, he said the crowds and loudspeakers have been frightening the children and frustrating the neighbours.
A few weeks ago, Ford said a protester also spilled fake blood on the road and Toronto fire and police had to come down to clean it up, which he described as a waste of their time and resources.
He instead asked protestors to rally outside Queen's Park to avoid continuously disturbing his neighbours.
Premier Doug Ford with a message to anti-mask, anti-restriction protestors who have been showing up at his home every week.
— Lucas Meyer (@meyer_lucas) October 19, 2020
"You want to protest me, God bless you...but just please leave my neighbours and their kids alone, please." Asks them to go to Queen's Park. #onpoli
Speaking on Monday, Ford also asked people to send him fewer text messages and to not write messages about trivial issues.
"I'm one of few elected officials in the country who everyone seems to have my phone number," he said, adding that he appreciates that people often get in touch with him and that he's able to help them out.
However, he said people have been sending him "hundreds and hundreds" of messages a day that take time away from getting to emergency situations.
"I just can't keep up and I always believe in returning a message so the more that people message me over meaningless stuff, then it can take off [time] for the people that need my help, please have patience," he said. "I will do my very best."
