By Canadian Press

Montreal protesters urge government to allow dance floors to reopen

Oct 23, 2021 | 2:44 PM

MONTREAL — A crowd of Montrealers held a large dance party on Mount Royal today to urge the Quebec government to reverse its ban on dancing in bars and clubs.

A DJ blasted music over a loudspeaker as protesters donned wigs, onesies and sparkly costumes as they swayed to the music and waved signs reading “dance for the right to dance.”

Several in the crowd say it’s unfair the government is allowing large venues such as the Bell Centre to reopen at full capacity for concerts and hockey games, but clubs and bars can’t open their dance floors to much smaller crowds.

Quebec and British Columbia are the only two provinces that continue to ban dancing in bars and nightclubs as part of their COVID-19 regulations.

Quebec has said it’s taking a gradual approach to lifting pandemic-related restrictions, and experts have said dancing can be dangerous because of a lack of distancing and other factors.

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But those at the protest say the ban has gone on long enough, and it’s time to let people relax and have fun while still respecting measures to limit the risk.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 23, 2021

The Canadian Press