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Local Business Owner Postpones Planned Protest Supporting Small Businesses Amid COVID-Concerns

A local business owner is backing down from hosting a protest in support of small business amid the lockdown. 

Last week, Leslie Bottigoni of LeMar Hair Suite announced plans to host a small rally to protest the province-wide lockdown and the impact it’s had on local businesses. 

However, after consulting with Brockville Police, the city of Brockville, and the health unit, she’s decided to postpone the event – which was set to take place Saturday. 

Bottigoni says her intention was to shine a light on the struggles small businesses have faced through the pandemic. 

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“We have done and gone over and above with cleanliness, sanitization, and making sure we have a limited amount of people in our spaces, and we continue to be shut down,” Bottigoni said. “This is the third time now, so, I just wanted to kind of get our voices heard.” 

Following last week’s gathering at the South Branch Bistro in Kemptville, Bottigoni says she wanted to make it abundantly clear that there is zero affiliation with her planned protest.

She says the big difference is that she is protesting for support for small businesses, and not in any way promoting anti-masking.

“This was more to bring a voice to small business, not to promote mask-wearing or anything to that effect,” Bottigoni said. “So, I definitely did not want to be affiliated with anything like that. That was definitely a concern at the end of last week. I didn’t know what I would do if someone like that shows up.” 

Bottigoni says once limits are lifted on gatherings, she still plans to hold the protest but for the time being, she doesn’t want to put anyone’s health or safety at risk.

Knowing that holding a protest could subject her or others to fines and charges, she decided to err on the side of caution and postpone until restrictions loosen. 

“The health unit, the city and police were all very supportive of and really understood the protest, but they just suggested at this time, with the more contagious strains and the rising cases, it was probably not the best idea because it would negatively affect small businesses.” 

Bottigoni says once she gets the green light from the city, she’ll be reaching out to small businesses and they will organize the protest when it is safe to do so.

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