Ottawa police say they are aware of planned Canada Day protests
Ottawa police say they are aware of planned protests for Canada Day, and say they won’t allow a repeat of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ occupation that took over downtown earlier this year.
Police said in a statement Friday they have received several questions about planned protests and other commentary online, and have been planning accordingly for weeks.
“We will not allow for conditions that led to the unlawful protests in February to reoccur,” police said. “We are applying lessons learned from the unlawful protest as well as the Rolling Thunder and associated protests to build our plan.”
Police say they expect Heritage Canada celebrations—taking place at LeBreton Flats this year because of construction on Parliament Hill—to be larger than usual. They are also expecting several other large events throughout the city.
“These factors, combined with an increased level of protests and demonstrations, are guiding our planning,” they said Friday. “There will be significant road closures and a major increase in police presence. We will be bringing multiple extra policing resources from several services.
Organizers are planning events from late June through Canada Day and the rest of the summer to protest remaining COVID-19 restrictions. Many are affiliated with, or expressed support for, the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest that took over downtown Ottawa for three weeks in January and February.
The group Veterans for Freedom is holding a three-day conference in Ottawa next week and is coordinating a June 30 route for James Topp and his supporters to walk through parts of Ottawa to the National War Memorial.
Topp is a Canadian soldier who was charged by the Department of National Defence in May after publicly speaking out against federal vaccine requirements while in uniform.
The group is also planning Canada Day celebrations on the lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada, a march to City Hall, and a dance party on Parliament Hill that evening.
Police say they will continue to prohibit vehicles in and around places of national significance, as was done for the ‘Rolling Thunder’ event in late April.
“The right to lawful and peaceful demonstrations will always be protected,” police said. “The operational planning team is mindful that we do not want to overshadow this important and celebratory event. We will have the resources and plan to respond to safety issues immediately.”
- with files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.