Ottawa’s police chief is urging people to avoid downtown Ottawa this weekend with a large convoy of truckers set to arrive Friday afternoon.
Chief Peter Sloly also issued a stark warning to any protesters who break the law: they will be prosecuted.
“Let me be very clear: we are prepared to investigate, arrest if necessary, charge and prosecute anyone who acts violently or breaks the law in the demonsrations, or in association with the demonstrations," Sloly said Friday ahead of the convoy’s arrival.
"We have the capability and commitment to pursue investigations and prosecutions well after the demonstrations have ended.”
The trucker convoy protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures left Kingston, Ont. shortly after 8:30 a.m., according to police there. They began to arrive in Ottawa early Friday afternoon.
Sloly said the convoy’s organizers have assured police the demonstration will be peaceful, and the planned events will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
However, Sloly said he anticipates other "lone wolf" protesters not directly affiliated with the main group. He also warned of "social media actors who may or may not actually come to the city … but who are nonetheless inciting hate, violence and in some cases criminality to take place in our city."
Sloly said police still don’t have a confirmed number of demonstrators and don’t know how long they will stay, but anticipate "major traffic safety issues" over the weekend.
Kingston police said the departing group included 17 full tractor-trailers, 104 tractors without trailers, 424 passenger vehicles and six RVs. More truckers are expected from other parts of the country.
Police have been managing small protests from people who have already arrived in the past 24 hours, which Sloly said have been "peaceful and uneventful."
He warned the weekend’s events will be "unique, fluid, risky and significant."
"These demonstrations are national in scope, they are massive in scale, unfortunately they are poloarizing in nature." Ottawa residents can expect a ramped-up police, national security and other emergency services presence Friday and into the weekend.
They will also be out in force on major highways and roads in and around the city.
Convoys from western Canada are scheduled to arrive in Arnprior, Ont. late Friday afternoon, before travelling into downtown Ottawa Saturday morning. Convoys from eastern Canada will roll into Vankleek Hill this evening, before completing the journey to Ottawa on Saturday morning.
Police urge drivers to avoid Ottawa highways, downtown
Ontario Provincial Police are urging motorists to avoid Hwy. 416 and 417 this weekend. In a message on Twitter Thursday, the OPP said, "OPP advises motorists to avoid travel on Hwy 417 and Hwy 416 in the Ottawa area, beginning Friday afternoon and on Saturday."
The Ottawa Police Service is asking people not to travel in Ottawa this weekend, and if you do travel to expect delays. People should do their shopping on Friday if possible.
"Expect major disruptions to traffic throughout Ottawa and especially in the downtown core. If you have appointments, children in activities, are expecting food deliveries, please be prepared to adjust your plans," said Ottawa police.
Sloly warned of "significant impacts" for people who live and work downtown, and said there may be limited mobility in the core for drivers, cyclists and even pedestrians depending on where demonstrators are.
He stopped short of advising local businesses should close, saying "it’s irresponsible and quite frankly impossible for us to dictate which of those services can and should operate."
However, he said if the situation changes or authorities learn of direct threats to any parts of the city, police would make more direct recommendations.
Ottawa police say they are planning to route trucks down certain highway exits, including the Pinecrest and Kent street off-ramps for those coming in from the west.
Ottawa police are workxjmtzywing with the RCMP, OPP, the Parliamentary Protective Service and other local police forces.
Ottawa Public Health has closed two vaccination clinics in the Glebe and Lowertown in anticipation of traffic disruptions this weekend. The Ottawa Public Library has also closed two branches due to expected road closures. The NCC is closing the Queen Elizabeth Driveway from Laurier Avenue to the Pretoria Bridge. From the bridge to Fifth Avenue, it will be open for active users only.
The city is also warning that OC Transpo and Para Transpo service could be delayed .
Stay up to date on the latest transit information by visiting octranspo.com.
Police prepared to investigate
Sloly said Friday that the right to demonstrate is at the heart of Canadians’ democratic freedoms, but that comes with responsibilities and limitations.
He said Friday police are prepared to arrest anyone who is engaging in more serious behaviours such as damaging property. And he also warned that those not present who are inciting such behaviours online could also face punishment.
"It is irresponsible to inflame this already volatile situation, and in some cases it may be illegal to express hate or incite criminality and violence in association to the demonstrations,” he said.
“We have seen in other jurisdictions where such inflammatory behaviors have led to people getting injured, killed, and/or incarcerated. We are doing everything we can toensure that does not happen here.”
What is the Freedom Convoy?
The freedom convoy is calling for the end of vaccine mandates in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"On January 15th, a small team of Alberta truckers, their family members and friends, came to the decision that the Government of Canada has crossed a line with implementing Covid-19 vaccine passports and vaccine mandates," said a statement Wednesday on the Freedom Convoy 2022 Facebook page.
"As of today, we now have the support of millions of Canadians from across the country."
The list of demands includes the federal and provincial governments terminating the vaccine passports and all other "obligatory vaccine contact tracing programs", and terminate COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
The protest was initially sparked by outrage over a vaccine mandate imposed this month on cross-border truckers, but has since garnered support from anti-vaccine mandate group.
Freedom Convoy routes on Friday
Here is the schedule for the ‘freedom convoy’ moving into Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Friday, according to the Canada Unity website.
Kingston to Ottawa
The convoy left Kingston at 8:30 a.m. and travelled to Angelo’s Truck Stop at Hwy. 401 and Hwy. 416.
It departed Angelo’s Truck Stop around 12 p.m. and started arriving on Parliament Hill around 1:30.
Early signs of the #FreedomConvoy2022 rolling into #Arnprior. OPP are preparing to close the section of Daniel St/White Lake Rd from 4pm-midnight today in front of the Antrim truck stop to everyone but the convoy. @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/JWjvRskH4S
— Dylan Dyson (@DylanDyson) January 28, 2022
North Bay – Pembroke – Arnprior
Trucks travelling along the west route are scheduled to arrive in Pembroke and Arnprior today.
According to the Canada Unity website, the convoy will arrive in Pembroke at 4:30 p.m., and then travel along Hwy. 17 to the Antrim Truck Stop in Arnprior, arriving at 6 p.m.
The convoy is scheduled to depart the Antrim Truck stop at 11 a.m. Saturday, travel along Hwy. 17/Hwy. 417 to Ottawa and arrive at Parliament Hill at 12 p.m.
Early signs of the #FreedomConvoy2022 rolling into #Arnprior. OPP are preparing to close the section of Daniel St/White Lake Rd from 4pm-midnight today in front of the Antrim truck stop to everyone but the convoy. @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/JWjvRskH4S
— Dylan Dyson (@DylanDyson) January 28, 2022
Arriving in Vankleek Hill
The Canada Unity website says trucks travelling along the east route will arrive in Vankleek Hill on Friday.
The convoy is then scheduled to depart 21160 Service Road in Vankleek Hill at 10:30 a.m. Saturday for Ottawa.
Canadian Trucking Alliance
The Canadian Trucking Alliance has made it clear it does not support "any protests on public roadways, highways and bridges."
In a statement last weekend, the association noted the vast majority of the Canadian trucking industry is vaccinated.
"The Government of Canada and the United States have now made being vaccinated a requirement to cross the border. This regulation is not changing so, as an industry, we must adapt and comply with this mandate," said CTA president Stephen Laskowski.
Mayor: ‘Please come peacefully’
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson reiterated his message to the truckers Friday morning, asking people to come peacefully and respectfully.
"We’re asking the protesters, please come peacefully," he said. "Protest is part of our democratic rights, but make sure that you follow our rules and regulations when you get here. You’re coming into another community’s neighbourhood and it’s important to respect that."
Watson asked the demonstators to leave lanes available for emergency vehicles and wear masks when entering local businesses.
"Don’t harass someone, a 17-year-old employee making minimum wage, because you won’t wear a mask. Be sensible and be kind to one another.
"This is going to be a stressful time for the next two days, at least."
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
A member of the Freedom Convoy at Angelo’s truck stop in Spencerville, Ont. on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
A trucker leaves Spencerville, Ont. en route to Ottawa early Friday afternoon. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
Protesters parked on Wellington Street outside Parliament Hill on Friday morning. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
Demonstrators rally at a highway 401 overpass in Prescott, Ont. awaiting the trucker convoy. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)
A group of people gather outside Parliament Hill on Thursday evening, one day before truckers and supporters are scheduled to arrive in Ottawa for the Freedom Convoy. (Jackie Perez/CTV News Ottawa)
A group of people gather outside Parliament Hill Thursday evening, one day before the first vehicles from the Freedom Convoy arrive in Ottawa. (Mackenzie Gray/CTV News)
