Covid Passports and Local Businesses
The NelsonPolice Department continues to support freedom of speech and individual rights to protest. As we have demonstrated in the last several months, we will work with protestors who exercise this right in a peaceful fashion. When those actions start to interfere with other people’s rights, the police can no longer work with or support these persons or organizations.
-In regards to planned protests and disruptions to businesses, in particular restaurants, that are required to inspect vaccination documentation, the police will be supporting these businesses. Police ask that you respect the fact that these are individuals that are simply adhering to the requirements imposed on them and these businesses support many individuals, families, and groups in the community. They have already suffered many setbacks and hardships due to covid, please don’t make the situation worse for your fellow community members.
– We respect everyone’s right to choose, but for those of you who insist on flaunting the current health directions and ignore requirements for businesses to check for vaccinations, you will be arrested.
-For those of you who plan on making your point through bullying, coercion and intimidation, you will be arrested.
– For those who decide to participate in the planned ‘order and not pick up’ take out, you will be investigated and charged with fraud. Your rights don’t outweigh the rights of your other community members.
Businesses are encouraged to phone customers ‘ given numbers back to confirm the legitimacy, and/or get credit cards or other payment methods over the phone prior to processing orders. Police request that legitimate customers be understanding of these requests from businesses that need to protect themselves.
Please support your local businesses and help them through these trying times.
Chief Constable Donovan Fisher