(OTTAWA) Ottawa police are facing growing questions about the origin of a false “bomb” report that led to the arrest of two organizers of a gathering of Sikhs near the hill of Parliament, Saturday – some are calling for an investigation into those who contacted the police about these two men.
Updated yesterday at 5:31 p.m.
Marco Mendicino, federal Minister of Public Security, recalled on Tuesday that it is illegal to launch a hoax, for any reason, but he also admitted that it is equally worrying that false information fuels prejudices. systemic. The minister said he shared the concerns of the Sikh community over the incident.
“I can’t stress enough that engaging in any type of prank with the intent to mislead the police, to denigrate a community, to fuel stereotypes, is wrong. This is categorically wrong,” Mr. Mendicino said on Tuesday. Decisions to investigate a potential hoax are made independently by law enforcement, he said.
Ottawa police, despite repeated attempts by The Canadian Press, refused to answer questions about the two men’s accounts of the events, to provide further details about the nature of the tip-off that led to the arrests, or to confirm whether it will investigate those who made these allegations.
In a one-line statement released Monday, the police department simply clarified that the investigation into the matter was now complete and no charges had been laid.
Federal New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh pointed to the different treatment the whistleblower received from police compared to the ‘freedom convoy’ that swarmed downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks in February.
“When there were people on Parliament Hill waving signs and flags linked to far-right organizations, dangerous organizations, there was very little reaction” from the police, Mr. Singh. The treatment of the organizers of the Sikh rally, based on a fake bomb threat, “clearly shows that there is a problem with the way threats are taken”.
Investigation requested
The World Sikh Organization of Canada says Canadian authorities should fully investigate and prosecute those involved in the information that led to the wrongful arrest of two organizers of a Sikh rally near Parliament.
“The bogus bomb threat targeting a Sikh gathering in Ottawa is deeply concerning,” said Tejinder Singh Sidhu, president of the national organization. “We call on law enforcement, including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, to thoroughly investigate this incident and ensure that those responsible for this bogus threat are prosecuted and held accountable. »
CSIS spokesman Brandon Champagne said the intelligence agency was working closely with law enforcement across the country to keep Canadians safe, but referred questions about investigations to police of Ottawa, who is “leading the ongoing investigation into the incident.
The Ottawa Police Service has not confirmed that an investigation is underway.
Authorities released few details about the “potential threat” that prompted an evacuation of parliament and the closure of surrounding streets for several hours on Saturday afternoon. After several hours, police said no threat to public safety had been found and the area was reopened.
Manveer Singh and Parminder Singh have spoken publicly to defend their reputations and to try to find out who gave their names to investigators and why; they also question how the police handled this information.
Parminder Singh called the experience “disrespectful” and “harassing”.
A gathering with a permit
The two men were the organizers of a memorial rally for the victims of the 1984 massacre of Sikhs in India. They had a permit to hold the event on Parliament Hill, but when they arrived they were informed that access had been blocked due to a “threat” and so they moved to another area in proximity.
Manveer Singh and Parminder Singh said shortly after the rally began, police arrested them and told them their names were linked to a serious bomb threat on Parliament Hill. According to Manveer Singh, police said they had “credible information” linking him to the threat.
Police searched their cars for explosives before handcuffing them and taking them to the station, where they were made to remove their turbans and questioned, the two men said. Manveer Singh also had to remove other religious symbols, including a steel bracelet called “kara” and a kirpan.
The men were eventually released. Parminder Singh said police apologized and said they arrested him based on misinformation. Both men said police told them the information linking them to the threat came from the Canada Border Services Agency.
Rebecca Purdy, spokeswoman for the CBSA, said Monday the agency regularly works with law enforcement to provide border security, including intelligence and law enforcement.
Robin Percival, spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said Tuesday that for operational reasons and confidentiality issues, federal police can confirm details related to criminal investigations only when charges have been laid.
This dispatch was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta Exchanges and The Canadian Press for the news.