4 people facing charges after demonstrators blocked downtown Ottawa intersections, police say

Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. is seen in this undated photo. (CTV News Ottawa)

The Ottawa Police Service says four people are facing charges after people participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in downtown Ottawa "ignored directions from police and blocked a street."

The Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement organized a rally Monday night, calling it an "Ottawa tour of arms corporations."

"Join us on a walking tour of downtown Ottawa, where we will stop at each complicit weapons manufacturer and remind them, we know what side of history they are on," the Palestinian Youth Movement said on Instagram.

Police said the demonstrators were advised by the Police Liaison Team members "multiple times" that they would need to "limit their demonstrations to the sidewalk and not obstruct traffic."

"After a 20-minute delay, where the demonstrators took over a portion of the intersection of Elgin Street at Nepean Street blocking the City of Ottawa parking garage, the demonstrators began the walking protest on the sidewalk of Laurier Avenue West. They then quickly turned north on Metcalfe Street and took over the street," police said in a media release.

"Despite repeated orders from police and dialogue with (Police Liaison Team) members at that location, the demonstrators remained and interactions between police and demonstrators began."

Police say one person is facing a charge of assaulting police, and three people are charged with mischief and obstruction of a peace officer.

Dozens of demonstrators rallied outside the Ottawa Police Service's headquarters on Elgin Street until 11 p.m. to protest the arrests.

"There were also online calls for individuals to flood police phone lines with calls," police said. "OPS Communications Centre then began receiving some frivolous calls on 9-1-1 and other, non-urgent phone lines."

In a statement on social media Tuesday afternoon, police said further charges may be laid as the investigation into the protest continues.

"We are also investigating those who engaged in public mischief by flooding police phone lines with calls," police said on X.

The Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement organized a rally outside the Elgin Street courthouse on Tuesday, "to stand in solidarity with our comrades who were violently arrested for exercising their right to peaceful protest."

An Instagram post called on people to "flood the OPS phone and email line."

"Stand up against police intimidation! We will not be pushed aside as the OPS infringes on our right to protest!"

The Palestinian Youth Movement Ottawa and Labour for Palestine Ottawa says before the walk began Monday evening, police "pre-emptively and grossly increased their presence far more than at similar demonstrations."

"Claims that directions were ignored are inaccurate," said a statement to CTV News Ottawa. "At the time of the arrests, it was the police who blocked Metcalfe Street at Laurier, not community members."

The groups said a video posted online shows, "arbitrary arrests were made following an officer pushing a bicycle into a crowd of people holding a banner" along the sidewalk of Metcalfe Street.

"No warnings were issued prior to arrests," the groups said.

"What we saw yesterday leads us to believe that the Ottawa Police Service is more concerned with protecting weapons companies and those who facilitate the sale of arms, than keeping our community safe as we exercise our right to participate in peaceful assembly per the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  We are continuing to support those arrested and will not take this disproportionate reaction by the police to a peaceful walk as an indication that we should stop protesting a genocide."

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