Article content

Police kept order during a rally in Churchill Square Saturday organized by self-described Canadian nationalists opposed to the United Nations.

Adopting the yellow safety vests worn by French protesters agitating against higher fuel prices, living costs and tax fairness, about 100 ralliers were confronted by a slightly smaller group of counter protesters during the Saturday afternoon rally.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Police keep 'yellow vest' supporters and counter protesters separated during downtown rally Back to video

Police kept the factions on either side of the red brick lines dividing the downtown Edmonton square. While previous events have become heated, Postmedia did not witness any fights or arrests during the first hour of the event.

The group organizing the rally, called the National Citizens Alliance, warned on its Facebook page that militant “antifa” — short for anti-fascist — members would seek to disrupt the event and that they had plans to “neutralize” them.

Speakers railed against a melange of topics, including the Trudeau government, “mass” immigration, lack of market access for oil and gas, Shariah law, free speech, a perceived marginalization of heterosexual people and restrictions on firearms ownership.