Students at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School in Steinbach, Manitoba in Canada staged a walkout on Thursday to protest the mask mandates and Covid restrictions.

Parents and residents of Steinbach, Manitoba cheered on the kids and shouted, “Freedom!” as they exited the school.

Parents shouted at the media, demanding they “Report the truth!” as the kids joined the parents and local residents in the parking lot.

Loud snowmobiles revved their engines as they drove by to show their support for the kids. A traveling concession stand was seen parked in the lot as students waved signs showing their support for “Dani,” a beloved security guard who was fired from the school for refusing to be vaccinated.

Outside of the school, a teacher with a police officer standing nearby, was caught on camera manhandling a 15-year-old boy who refused to go back inside.

“We all have a freedom”

CBC News reports – Carrying a sign saying “Mandate Freedom,” Neil Krahn said he decided to participate in the protest because he thinks people should have a choice about whether to wear masks or get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Former Steinbach Regional Secondary School security Dani Hiebert (standing second from right) joined in with protesters Thursday. She was fired for not revealing her COVID-19 vaccination status and declining to be tested three times a week. (Ian Froese/CBC)

“It is fine if you want to wear it — that is your choice. If you want to go get your vaccine, that is your choice. As a Canadian … we all have a freedom,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter if you want to do it or you don’t want to do it, we should all accept each other.”

He added that the pandemic restrictions have had a detrimental impact on his small business.

Dani Hiebert says restrictions also had a negative impact on her livelihood.

She was a security guard at the school for 2½ years when she was put on unpaid leave because she chose not to reveal her COVID-19 vaccination status to her employer, the Hanover School Division, nor adhere to testing three times a week.

“That is for my personal information. Only my doctor knows that, but nobody else needs to know,” Hiebert said. “That is discrimination.

“I’m a healthy person. I’ve got natural immunity. I feel great. I do not need to be tested,” she added.

She was later fired.

A group of students from the school held up signs in support of Hiebert. She didn’t know there would be specific support for her amid the protesters until the last minute.

The Steinbach Regional Secondary School was placed on lockdown and the students are being forced to stay home and take part in online learning on Friday.

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