Ottawa Bylaw hands out noise fines to Palestine protesters, organizers vow legal action

A pro-Palestinian protester, right, clashes with police from the Ottawa Police Service Emergency Services Unit during a demonstration in Ottawa, on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (Spencer Colby/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The pro-Palestine protesters who marched through downtown Ottawa this weekend are facing nearly $1,500 in noise fines.

Hundreds of demonstrators, including some dressed as Santa Claus, held a rally at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street Saturday before marching through downtown streets. The protest, organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, was dubbed "No Christmas as Usual" and called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Canadian arms sales to Israel.

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But some supporters noted on social media that there were a handful of fines from bylaw officers at this protest, which was the 11th weekly protest held by the group. Some of the demonstrations have drawn thousands of supporters.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) said three tickets were handed out.

"During the pro-Palestine protest on Saturday, BLRS addressed concerns about the use of sound reproduction devices, specifically loudspeakers and megaphones, through enforcement of the City of Ottawa’s Noise By-law. Initially, individuals were issued warnings, followed by three charges at $490 each when the activity persisted," said the statement, attributed to Roger Chapman, Director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services.

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In a post on Instagram, the Palestinian Youth Movement called the fines a "clear attempt to suppress pro-Palestinian organizing and support" and vowed to take legal action.

"PYM Ottawa, Independent Jewish Voices Ottawa, Labour for Palestine, INSAF uOttawa, O4P, and other allied local organizations are currently consulting legal counsel and allies at various levels of government to mount a challenge to this undemocratic, racist, and politically motivated move by the City of Ottawa under the leadership of Mark Sutcliffe," the post said.

In an email to CTV News Ottawa, Sarah Abdul-Karim with the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement said they had never been issued any warnings prior to Saturday's demonstration.

"During our protest on Saturday December 23, we were threatened by Ottawa bylaw with fines of $490 per microphone and megaphone for our sound systems and megaphones. This is despite us having used the same sound systems for 10 consecutive weeks of peaceful weekend protests, and never being issued a warning. Bylaw referenced bylaw no. 2017-255, a bylaw that we had never been informed with throughout our years of organizing protests and using various sound systems," Abdul-Karim said. 

Bylaw 2017-255 is Ottawa's noise bylaw, which includes provisions that prohibit the use of "any sound reproduction device on any highway or other public place" among other restrictions.

Chapman said in his statement that enforcement is related to "escalated actions by the participants, which may pose nuisance and public safety issues."

"We chose to march despite their threats," Abdul-Karim said. "We were issued three fines total at $490 each (a total of $1,470 worth of fines). This included a fine for our main sound system, as well as two fines given to our community members who were holding megaphones."

The "No Christmas as Usual" protest in Ottawa was one of several organized around the world by the Palestinian Youth Movement. The group noted that the city of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, chose to forgo its usual Christmas festivities this year because of the war in Gaza.