City of Ottawa reminds protesters to follow regulations

Pro-Palestine protesters march on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Jan. 7, 2024. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa is reminding protesters to respect the city’s residents by following its municipal regulations.

While protesting is a fundamental right, people should respect all rules and regulations, the city said on social media.

“By-law and Regulatory Services (BLRS) respects individuals’ right to peacefully demonstrate and acknowledges the importance for demonstrators to be conducted in a peaceful and respectful manner,” read the post.

“BLRS will take enforcement action to address the various by-law violations in an effort to address nuisances and safety concerns.”

Enforcement action will be focused on the use of fireworks, obstructing highways and violating the city's noise rules.

In the first week of January, Ottawa Bylaw confirmed three more fines for violating the city's noise rules were handed out to pro-Palestine protesters in the capital.

The march on Jan. 7 was the 14th consecutive protest in Ottawa since Hamas's deadly attack in Israel on Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people. Hamas also took more than 250 people hostage. The attack prompted Israel to launch retaliatory airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, which have so far killed more than 22,000 people.

The protesters in Ottawa have been calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza for weeks and for Canada to stop arms sales to Israel.

Ottawa BLRS Director Roger Chapman said in a statement that nine verbal warnings were also handed out.

"This past weekend, BLRS officers prioritized education by issuing nine verbal warnings for operating a sound reproduction device on a highway or public place prior to officers issuing three Provincial Offence Notices for the same charge," Chapman said.

Bylaw handed out nine noise fines during the Dec. 30 protest and three during the Dec. 23 protest. The tickets are for the use of sound amplification devices. Each fine is for $490.

Sarah Abdul-Karim with the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement said on Sunday that the protests in Ottawa would continue.

"We plan on continuing to raise our voices for our people in Palestine because despite the noise violation tickets, we know our people are suffering way worse; they're still dying every single day," she said.

The Palestinian Youth Movement said it plans to fight the fines in court.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond and William Eltherington