OTTAWA | The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) warned the Ottawa Municipal Police (OPS) that participants in the “freedom convoy” were being organized to stay long and that multiple groups, including “right-wing extremists” calling for “major disruptions”, would swoop down on the city.
• Read also: Ex-police chief persuaded of single-weekend protest
• Read also: Police feared Quebec bikers
• Read also: Ottawa mayor criticizes Doug Ford for inaction
A chain of emails exchanged between OPP and OPS officers in the days leading up to the arrival of the first trucks was entered into evidence this morning at the Emergency Measures Board of Inquiry.
Yesterday, Pat Morris, who heads the OPP’s Provincial Operations Intelligence Office, told the commission that his office had submitted a report to that effect to the OPS on January 20, more than a week before the arrival of the convoy.
The report was commissioned by former Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly. It indicated that the protesters intended to stay until the sanitary measures were lifted, however long it might take.
Yet the OPS continued to plan its actions as if it were just a weekend protest and assured city officials there was nothing to worry about and the protesters would be gone. after two or three days at most,” said Diane Deans, former chair of the City of Ottawa Police Services Board, yesterday.
Peter Sloly will be interviewed in the coming days. This morning, the acting deputy chief of the municipal police, Patricia Ferguson, is on the grill. She explains that her services doubted the OPP warnings because of the misinformation and online propaganda that surrounds conspiracy groups.
Police mutiny
As early as Monday, when Mr. Sloly saw that the demonstrators were not leaving after the first weekend of chaos as the OPP had planned, he demanded that his deputies develop a new action plan to bring the order, according to an exchange of emails filed in evidence this morning before the commission.
This not coming, he himself proposed a plan, but Mrs. Ferguson explains to the Commission that the chief’s requests came up against the lack of personnel.
Mme Deans said Wednesday that Mr. Sloly, Ottawa’s first black police chief, was the target of racism within his ranks and faced “some kind of insurrection.” She indicated that a conflict had even arisen between him and the deputy head, Mrs.me Ferguson, busy.
Mme Ferguson explains that a fringe of the police, including herself, wanted to negotiate with the demonstrators even if it took more time to resolve the crisis.
Fear of the Farfadaas
She points out that she had concerns for the safety of her troops, in particular in the face of the Quebec conspiracy group, the Farfadaas, which the Ottawa police associated with outlaw bikers. We were also worried about the presence of ex-police and military personnel among the demonstrators.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were clearly dismayed by the Ottawa police, according to notes filed into evidence at the commission this morning. The OPP bluntly describes incompetent leadership. We even wondered if the OPS was worthy of receiving help from other police services.
“We weren’t at our best,” Ms.me Ferguson.