The calm found in Ottawa since the occupation of its city center last winter could soon be disturbed again. Police forces in Ottawa and Gatineau are preparing for the announced return of “freedom demonstrators” who plan to return to the federal capital on Canada Day. Some of them could even multiply the visits on weekends throughout the summer, if we trust the discussions on the Web.
Two weeks before the festivities, the Ottawa police wanted to be reassuring for the residents of the capital who are still angry that their city could have been stormed for 22 days by trucks, cars and hundreds of demonstrators in January and February. “2022 will be a unique and unprecedented Canada Day for Ottawa. And that means you’ll see unprecedented security measures,” Ottawa Police Sgt. Andy Moore said Friday.
No convoys, but demonstrators
Organizers of last winter’s Freedom Convoy plan to return to demonstrate in Ottawa on the 1er July. A virtual invitation is circulating in particular for a concert in front of the Supreme Court, a march to Ottawa City Hall, then a ” party Dance” on Parliament Hill. The demonstrators had erected a stage there, with DJ, this winter.
“We have received several questions online about planned protests and other comments. We are aware of these discussions and we are planning accordingly,” reacted Ottawa Police on Twitter Friday.
At the request of the City, the police will prohibit the demonstrations of convoys of vehicles.
“Everyone has the right to protest legitimately and peacefully, and we will always protect that right. But we will not allow the conditions that led to the illegal demonstrations of last February to recur,” Sergeant Moore also insisted at a press conference to discuss the organization of Canada Day.
In addition to the demonstrations expected on 1er July, organizers of the Freedom Convoy and Rolling Thunder also plan to set up a new base camp outside of town to allow for weekend protests throughout the summer, according to one of the co-founders of Veterans 4 Freedom — which helped organize the Rolling Thunder motorcycle and vehicle protest — told the CBC.
The provincial police as reinforcements
The Canadian government abandoned Parliament Hill, which is still under renovation, this year to place the party on a site located to the west. A second location will be erected opposite, on the other side of the Ottawa River, in Gatineau.
Since the “footprint of the event” will be “larger in scale” and Ottawa is expecting a larger crowd this year, but also “an increased level of demonstrations and related activities”, Ottawa police have warned that there will be “a considerable increase in police presence”, as well as several road closures.
Strongly criticized for their mismanagement of the Freedom Convoy this winter, the Ottawa police assured that they would have the resources necessary to maintain calm on the 1er July. It will benefit from the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and provincial and municipal police forces – which Sergeant Moore did not want to name.
The Gatineau police are collaborating with the Ottawa police, the RCMP, as well as the Sûreté du Québec, said Chief Inspector Yannick Bélisle.
The Freedom Convoy paralyzed downtown Ottawa and the area around Parliament for 22 days this winter. A major police operation ended up dismantling the occupation between February 19 and 21, after Justin Trudeau’s government invoked the Emergency Measures Act on February 14. He revoked it nine days later, once the convoy dispersed.