(Ottawa) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not planning to use the Canadian Armed Forces to put an end to the demonstration which has paralyzed downtown Ottawa for a week, without closing the door categorically. The municipal police chief had indicated the day before that the solution to the crisis may not come only from the police forces.
Posted at 12:07 p.m.
“It is not something that we are looking at, to send the army against Canadian citizens,” replied Mr. Trudeau to questions from journalists. He added that he had not received any such request for the moment, but that he was going to “evaluate any request”.
“You have to be very, very careful before deploying the army in a situation where Canadians are involved,” he added.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Justin Trudeau
Trudeau said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) would be there to support the Ottawa police. “Police forces have to do their job,” he said.
“It is time for the protesters to go home,” he repeated. He does not intend to comply with protesters’ demands by withdrawing the obligation to be vaccinated to take the train, the plane or for federal civil servants.
The horns continued to sound in downtown Ottawa for a seventh straight day on Thursday. Trucks are still parked on Wellington Street in front of the parliament building and in surrounding streets.
In a media notice announcing a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the organizers of the “freedom convoy” now acknowledge that they are occupying the city center.
Clumps of police continue to patrol the streets, but Ottawa police are gradually taking a tougher approach. She said she handed out 30 tickets to protesters on Wednesday for loud horns, poorly secured fuel cans and violations of the Highway Safety Code. A person was charged with driving when they weren’t allowed to. His vehicle was towed to the pound.
It also indicates that it uses a license plate reader to identify drivers who contravene the Highway Code.