Ottawa’s police chief says police need "an additional surge of resources" to help deal with the protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures in downtown Ottawa.
An estimated 1,000 vehicles and 5,000 people packed Parliament Hill and downtown streets Saturday afternoon for the ninth day of the "Freedom Convoy" protest.
The protest has seen demonstrators park trucks and vehicles on Wellington Street and other downtown streets. Residents have been frustrated with the constant sound of horns blaring, along with fireworks late at night.
"Our city is under siege," said Diane Deans, Ottawa Police Services Board chair and councillor.
"This group is embolden by the lack of enforcement by every level of government. They are terrorizing our residents, torturing them with insentient honking, threatening them and preventing them from leading their lives."
The cross-Canada convoy protesting vaccine mandates started arriving in Ottawa on Jan. 28.
Deans called a special Ottawa Police Services Board meeting with one hour’s notice Saturday afternoon.
"This group is a threat to our democracy. What we’re seeing is bigger than just a city of Ottawa problem, this is a nationwide insurrection. This is madness; we need a concrete plan to put an end to this now."
Speaking directly to Chief Peter Sloly, Deans asked, "Do you believe that you are still able to provide, given the fluid of the situation of this occupation, adequate and effective policing to the residents of our city?"
Sloly told the board that this is an "unprecedented" situation, saying "As I look at the definition of adequate and effective policing, there is literally nothing in that definition of adequate and effective policing that could resolve a city under siege that is a democracy threatened by a nationwide insurrection driven by madness."
The chief told the board that staff did not have adequate time to provide a full update on policing for the special meeting.
"Ottawa residents are frustrated and angry, so are we quite frankly. They have every right to be; their lives in our city are being severely impacted by unlawful acts on our streets," said Sloly.
"The Ottawa Police Service, our policing partners are doing everything within the power of the Police Services Act as its been designed as legislation and as we’ve been resources under that legislation. I am doing everything in my power to keep the peace, keep our residents and our businesses safe and allow a sense of normalcy to come back in the quickest and safest way possible. This is an unprecedented situation but we have learned from our experience and yes, our mistakes."
Sloly says Ottawa police have received support from Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and seven municipal police services.
The board is expected to vote on giving 60 RCMP officers the authority to work in Ottawa during the demonstration. Sloly said those officers would be deployed immediately.
The meeting comes one day after police announced 150 additional uniformed and non-uniformed officers would be deployed in the Centretown, ByWard Market and Lowertown neighbourhoods.
Latest updates: Protests in Ottawa and provincial capitals
Two guys on horses have arrived downtown #cdnpoli #ottnews pic.twitter.com/Okbf5EgStE
— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) February 5, 2022
Roads from Dalhousie Street to Bay Street and Albert Street to Wellington Street remain closed today, and police are once again urging people to avoid travelling in the downtown core.
"Attention Drivers: There will be multiple temporary road closures, 417 and 416 exit closures and southbound interprovincial bridge closures throughout the day as demonstration vehicles arrive near Ottawa," said police on Twitter.
Ottawa police said there will be sporadic closures today on the following roads
Hwy. 417 westbound
- Nicholas
- Metcalfe
- Bronson
- Parkdale
- Island Park
Hwy. 417 eastbound
- Parkdale
- Rochester
- Kent
- Metcalfe
- Nicholas
- Vanier
- St. Laurent
Motorists may also experience closures along the highways at the Aviation Parkway, Woodroffe Avenue, Walkley Road, Montreal Road and Hwy. 174.
The city of Ottawa also said the Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway is closed between the Aviation Parkway and Sussex Drive due to the demonstration
Second weekend of the Freedom Convoy in downtown Ottawa.
In front of Parliament Hill – tents, crane with a Canadian flag, stage with speakers. #ortnews pic.twitter.com/mtxECEpcmT
— Josh Pringle (@PringleJosh) February 5, 2022
Councillor questions extra officers
Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney says the extra officers deployed into downtown Ottawa "has made no difference."
Ottawa police announced Friday up to 150 uniformed and non-uniformed officers would be deployed into the Centretown, ByWard Market and Lowertown areas.
However, McKenney says it has made no difference.
"To Centretown residents and all others who are affected by the growing occupation of our city: On Friday, we were promised extra officers in our neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, this extra ‘surge’ in police has resulted in only 20-25 officers in all of Centretown," said McKenney on Twitter.
"The harassment and illegal activities continue with impunity."
McKenney renewed the call for the federal government to have the RCMP take over full operational control of the Parliamentary Precinct to allow OPS to focus on neighbourhoods.
Coun. Mathieu Fleury is also calling for assistance from provincial and federal partners to deal with the protest.
"Residents of Lowertown, Sandy Hill, and Vanier: I hear you. It is far too loud downtown and this occupation has gone on far too long," said Fleury. "This is larger than the City of Ottawa. We need further assistance from Provincial and Federal partners."
On Friday, Moo Shu Ice Cream on Bank Street said it was closing until Feb. 9 due to the demonstration.
"One of our staff was physically assaulted on their way to work today, blocked on the sidewalk by two men and shoved to the ground for wearing a mask," said Moo Shu Ice Cream on Twitter.
"Based on the accounts we’ve heard from our neighbours, this behaviour is not an isolated incident."
This is not what we asked for. Until the federal government assumes full operational control over the full Parliamentary Precinct and red zone to allow OPS to turn their attention to our residential neighbourhoods nothing will change.
— Catherine McKenney (they/them) (@cmckenney) February 5, 2022
OTTAWA BASEBALL STADIUM
The Freedom Convoy demonstration has set up a camp in the parking lot at the RCTG Park on Coventry Road.
CTV News Ottawa’s Jeremie Charron says it appears to be a command centre for the convoy, with multiple large tents set up and at least 100 vehicles.
There are also several large saunas and propane and fuel supplies.
Some more visuals here: pic.twitter.com/y30Dn9sZoA
— Jeremie Charron (@JCharronCTV) February 5, 2022
Increased security in downtown Ottawa
People visiting downtown Ottawa will see increased security measures, along with more officers.
Police set up concrete and heavy equipment barricades on several streets to create "no-access" roadways.
Fences have also been installed around the National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Last weekend, photos showed vehicles parked at the memorial, and people using the monument as a washroom.
Ottawa police are investigating the desecration of the National War Memorial last Saturday, after video showed someone dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Community safety walks called off
Councillors Jeff Leiper, Catherine McKenney and Shawn Menard had scheduled the second of three community safety walks in the Centretown area today, but by noon, as the number of protesters started to grow, they advised residents to stay away.
"After evaluation, it is not safe to go downtown. Please avoid the area," Leiper said on Twitter.
McKenney urged residents to organize walks in their own neighbourhoods, but to avoid the area of Bank and Somerset.
"Please do not go down to this area. It is not safe today. Find a friend and walk in your own neighborhoods," they said.
After evaluation, it is not safe to go downtown. Please avoid the area.
— Jeff Leiper (@JLeiper) February 5, 2022
Menard thanked those who did come out and urged residents to be safe.
"We helped get people out safely. Thank you to the people that did come. Today is busy down here, walk with a buddy if services or groceries needed," he said.
GATINEAU POLICE
Gatineau police issued more than 80 tickets to motorists for violations in connection to the Freedom Convoy protest.
Police say the violations included more than 20 for using unnecessary audible warning device. The fine is $173.
Lawsuit filed against protest organizers
A hearing into a proposed $9.8 million class-action lawsuit over the constant honking behalf of residents of the citys’ downtown core.
According to a statement of claim filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday by lawyer Paul Champ, the lawsuit is seeking $4.8 million for “private nuisance” and another $5 million in “punitive damages.”
Lawyer Paul Champ will be in court Saturday afternoon to argue for an injunction to stop the incessant horn honking, which has been used as a tactic by the demonstrators for more than a week.
"The air horns and train horns that they use go from 105 to 120 decibels non-stop. If you’ve heard a train horn going by you, that can be quite loud. Imagine it going on for 20 minutes straight, every hour on the hour. It’s become unbearable to live in downtown Ottawa," Champ told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s
He says he’s confident there will be an injunction.
"The evidence is pretty overwhelming, about the harm," Champ said. "We have medical evidence showing how that cause permanent hearing loss, disturbing sleep. We think we’ve got a pretty strong case to get this order."
However, a court injunction does still require some manner of enforcement. Champ says he doesn’t know how police will approach it, but the injunction would create additional penalties for those violating the order.
"The police will make their operational decisions about whether they feel it’s safe or not," Champ said. "The key here is that once we have that court order, any trucker who keeps blowing those horns knows that they’re in contempt of court and that’s a criminal offence and will be held against them at some later date, I can guarantee you that."
Meanwhile, An online fundraiser for the trucker convoy protests has been removed by GoFundMe after raising more than $10 million.
‘Customers are scared’: Downtown business owner
A Bank Street business owner says the ongoing occupation of downtown has been yet another difficulty for his business, following two years of a global pandemic.
Stewart Cattroll, co-owner of Freshii, tells Newstalk 580 CFRA’s that staff have been harassed and customers are afraid to come out.
"The protesters simply refuse to adhere to Ottawa Public Health rules, in particular wearing a mask when they enter stores," he said. "There are simply too many people who simply refuse to wear a mask and not only that, our staff are being harassed for wearing a mask inside the store. It’s not just enough for them to say they won’t wear a mask, they are harassing staff and customers for wearing a mask. The other issue is simply that the residents of Centretown are scared, and understandably so."
Cattroll said the ongoing situation has shaken his confidence in Ottawa police.
"I’ve spoken to police officers on Bank Street in the last week, expressing my frustration that the law is not being enforced," Cattroll said. "They have been polite, they’ve listened, but they have not done anything. So, I’m not confident in the police. I don’t have a lot of faith in the police, to be honest, right now. There’s, I think, been a huge loss of trust between the residents and businesses of Centretown and the Ottawa Police Service and that’s something that’s going to have to be resolved in the months to come.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Counter-protesters, in opposition to a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, gather in front of City Hall, in Ottawa, Feb. 5, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Wellington Street remains closed to vehicle traffic as the “Freedom Convoy” protest in downtown Ottawa continues for a ninth day. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
A so-called “community kitchen” is open in Confederation Park, offering food to people during the Freedom Convoy demonstration. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
A protester shovels snow from around protest vehicles, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
People build a fire in a barrel at Confederation Park as a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in downtown Ottawa, on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
