Occupation of a former church | Freedom Convoy Linked Group Clings

The “freedom convoy” may have left Ottawa for months, but the last recalcitrants linked to the movement have taken refuge in an old church where they have established their headquarters. And despite an eviction order, they promise to stay.

Melanie Marquis
The Press

Photos: Sarah Mongeau-Birkett
The Press

(Ottawa) They call it the “Embassy”. And even if they are under an eviction order, members of The United People of Canada (TUPOC) movement intend to continue to carry out their more or less diplomatic activities there – to the great displeasure of the community in which they seek to put down roots.

In the shadow of the steeples of the old St. Brigid’s Church, where their band made their headquarters, Christine Cameron and DJ Freedom 613 swear their band has no connection to the ‘freedom convoy’ that paralyzed downtown Ottawa for three weeks last winter. In the same breath, they claim to have participated in the occupation.

The duo also vigorously deny that TUPOC created a private security force. “What was written in the newspapers is not true. There is no security force, just volunteers keeping watch to make sure no damage is done to the property,” said DJ Freedom 613, who was hot under his bulletproof vest.

They laugh at the eviction notice hanging from their noses.

Same story from William Komer, one of the directors of the group’s board of directors. Because this “attempt” to drive them out of this former place of worship in Lower Town is “illegal”; the owner of the place “violated the Ontario Human Rights Code” by “discriminating against them”, he castigates.

Man swears $10,000 monthly rent paid to landlord of church converted into Irish community center in 2017 — its basement houses a bar — and put back on the market at a sale price of 5.95 million.

This version is contradicted by Dave, the bailiff who comes to the scene for a third time on Friday. This time he came to file illegal parking tickets on the windshields of vehicles parked on the disputed site. “They know they haven’t paid the rent. They know their lease has been terminated, ”he drops, holding a sheaf of documents. The group, insists Dave, has until next Wednesday to vacate the premises.

There will possibly be resistance.

“We will not leave. Why would we leave? “Slices Diane Nolan, member of the board of directors of TUPOC, who also denies being associated with the convoy.

Red flags

A few minutes later, a sound of horns is heard in the street, to the delight of the small handful of TUPOC supporters who were there on Friday afternoon.

” You see ? says Sam Hersh of the community organization Horizon Ottawa.

The young man arranged to meet us in the park in front of the church. He prefers to keep his distance, especially since William Komer recently showed up at his house, having managed to find his personal address.

“They have clear links with the convoy, even if they say the opposite,” he argues.

And this is of the utmost concern to residents and merchants in the neighborhood located not far from the epicenter of last winter’s occupation, who have retained a very bitter taste from this event and fear that he old church “a base of operations for the extreme right”, insists Sam Hersh.

In the meantime, two men arrive in the same park.

Ian and Benoît, who live on the same street but had never met, begin to rehash their memories of the Ottawa occupation.

“This is the first time in my life that I feel such discomfort. I am a child of World War II. We must remain vigilant, pay attention to these movements which can percolate. The red flags, we have them directly in front of us, ”insists Ian.

Community tensions

Banners with the organization’s logo, a tree, its roots and its white maple leaves on a red background, frame a front door of the old church. There are also some inside the church, where William Komer lets in some journalists, with the exception of a local reporter whom he accuses of being illegally on his property.

In the nave, he claims to have the necessary funds in “community vouchers” to acquire it. Emphasizes that the heritage character of the building, which clearly needs renovations, is respected. Adds that the only alterations are made by vandals who want to chase them away.

He denies that his community organization has a problem with the presence of Shepherds of Hope, an organization that helps the homeless and, often, people struggling with alcohol or drug addictions. Located not far from the church, the Shepherds of Hope were visited last winter by demonstrators from the convoy who had harassed the staff.

The organization’s tolerance towards the Shepherds of Hope is contradicted by a local trader. “One of their members came to ask me how they could get rid of it. I politely pissed him off, ”says the man. He refuses to be identified. “I don’t want to end up with a smashed window,” pleads the entrepreneur.

“These people mobilize very quickly”

Should we fear a resurrection of the convoy? Is TUPOC a tentacle?

“It’s hard to say, there’s a lot we don’t know about them,” says Stephanie Carvin, assistant professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, who specializes in issues related to to national security.

It will be necessary to see if tenors of the convoy will come to their rescue, believes M^me Carvin.

“It hasn’t happened yet, but it could change quite quickly. These people mobilize very quickly, she says. That said, I can’t help but imagine what might have happened if, last February, there had been an operational base right in the center of town…”

The ras-le-bol of a mayor

F**k off, you f**kwads (“Fuck off, motherfuckers”).

In offering these heartfelt tributes to subjects of the self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada,” Romana Didulo, who attempted citizen arrests of police officers in her city, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien said aloud what many of his colleagues think quietly, believes former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi.

More specifically, the Ontario city’s chief magistrate wrote this on Twitter last Tuesday: “People have asked me to respond to the events of the past weekend at [Peterborough]. I hate giving airtime/attention to these fools. Here is my comment: fuck you motherfuckers”.

His message has been “liked” more than 22,000 times, relayed nearly 6,000 times and provoked an avalanche of comments, including that of ex-mayor Nenshi. “I usually don’t swear. But sometimes I am extremely tempted. I think that here, the mayor shows a remarkable economy of words to say what we all think, ”he reacted.

The principal concerned, who says she has received words of encouragement from elected officials from the municipal, provincial and federal scenes and from hundreds of her fellow citizens, has no intention of going to confession to ask forgiveness for having used the word that begins with an F, very frowned upon in English Canada.

“I’m a millennial, I like swearing,” says Mayor Diane Therrien in an interview.

And to those who reproached her for stooping to the level of vulgarity of protesters who, for example, wave “F**k Trudeau” flags, she replies “that in politics, we must change register” depending on of the interlocutor.

“I talk to people who have doctorates, to citizens I meet in the street, but these people do not want to have a serious or academic debate. They are disconnected from reality, they really live in a parallel universe ”, continues in interview the one who does not seek a new mandate at the head of Peterborough.

The “Queen of Canada” and the followers of TUPOC

At least four followers of QAnon supporter Romana Didulo have so far been arrested and charged in connection with the incident which took place last Saturday outside the headquarters of the Peterborough Police Service.

La prétendue souveraine du Canada était à Ottawa en même temps que le « convoi de la liberté », l’hiver dernier. Des disciples de The United People of Canada (TUPOC) qui sont en cours d’expulsion ont également fait la pluie et le beau temps dans les rues de la capitale fédérale.

Les tentacules de cette mouvance sont donc assez faciles à repérer, dit Diane Therrien.

La mairesse sortante ne s’émeut donc pas de l’éviction des adeptes de TUPOC. « Il y a eu une occupation pendant trois semaines l’hiver dernier à Ottawa, et ces gens n’avaient pas subi de conséquences pour les torts qu’ils ont causés. Tant mieux si on agit à Ottawa et à Peterborough », insiste M^me Therrien.

Elle ne s’en fait pas non plus avec ceux qui la soupçonnent d’avoir fait sa sortie avec des mots commençant par la lettre F pour marquer des points politiques.

« Les gens peuvent penser ce qu’ils veulent, mais il y a aussi une raison pour laquelle ça a eu une résonance. Beaucoup apprécient les dirigeants qui s’expriment sans censure, qui n’ont pas peur de se tenir debout face à des intimidateurs », plaide la mairesse.

« Je ne me représente pas, alors je m’en crisse complètement [I have zero fucks to give] “, she concludes.