Scenes from Quebec Saturday night paint a haunting picture of a snow-covered province coming under a police state’s supposed attempt of controlling a highly infectious virus, a task which many argue can not possibly be achieved through state sanctions on ....

Saturday marked the first night of the Province’s new curfew put in place by Premier Francois Legault that will punish those outside their home for reasons unacceptable to the government between the hours 8 p.m-5 a.m. Those in violation of the “public sanitation order” will face fines up to $6,000 Canadian (US$4,728).

Videos shared by Canadians on social media show police in siren-blasting vehicles moving through neighborhoods as the curfew came into effect.

“Police cars are driving through neighborhoods, sirens blaring, scanning for dissidents to arrest. $6,000 fines – enough to destroy families,” Rebel News’ Ezra Levant reported.

“Another police car, siren blaring, driving through residential neighborhoods with the sole purpose of terrifying the public into submission. A far greater infringement of civil liberties than the FLQ crisis 50 year ago,” Levant said.

Other videos report to show police pulling people over for being outside of their homes after 8p.m.

Another video circulating shows a Quebecois being asked for his personal documents and threatened with arrest for being outside with his children.

Some residents decided to deliberately break the new rules by marching in protest through a Montreal neighborhood.

After the province reported over 3,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time ever this week, Premier Legault said a “shock treatment” was needed to curb the virus’ spread.

“The situation is critical and a shock treatment is needed,” Legault said Saturday. “Our hospitals are filling with COVID-19 patients. Hundreds of people are in intensive care, fighting for their lives. Tens of people die every day.”

CTV News reports that over 200 tickets were issued across the province during the curfew’s first night with 17 tickets issued to protesters and 84 tickets given for general non-compliance in Montreal alone.

Under the new rules, acceptable reasons for being outside include:

• People going to and coming from work, or a work-related activity.
• Parents picking up teenagers from work.
• People going to or coming from an education activity at a recognized school such as a night class or lab.
• People who work in the transportation of goods sector.
• People who are providing necessary health services to someone else, or attending the bedside of a sick family member.

The rather dystopic scenes from Saturday come after a viral video spread on social media of Quebec police busting an “illegal family gathering” on Dec. 31 at a home in Gatineau.

Police would slap everyone in the home with $1,500 fines for ignoring public safety health orders against gatherings.

Nighttime curfews have also been put into effect in recent months in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece, India, France, California, and Ohio.