Residents show solidarity with Centretown residents impacted by four weekend 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration
A meetup organized by Community Solidarity Ottawa provided a space to heal and a sense of hope, as the city and its residents recover from the "Freedom Convoy" demonstration.
"This experience has harmed me and others, there’s no question," Centretown resident Claire Hurtig said. "The fear for my safety was based in knowing if I disagreed with convoy protesters it was not safe to express that. My safety could be threatened and I could be met with violence.”
The meetup in Minto Park on Elgin Street, just over a kilometre from Parliament Hill, was an opportunity to show support for residents in the neighbourhood - some harassed, verbally abused or living in fear during the occupation.
“They have the right to speak their mind with mandates and that is fine but when the line is crossed advocating for xenophobia and hate and white supremacy," said Hassan Husseini, one of the Community Solidarity Ottawa organizers. "This is where we say no."
"Community care and mutual aid is our biggest hope," said Saffar Binder, holding a sign that read, "We keep ourselves safe."
Handing out posters and pamphlets, organizers also encouraged residents to support businesses in the red zone and connect with neighbours.
"I hope we can spread the word we have not fallen after the occupation," Martin Riguelne said.
"The disruption really impacted my mental health, my work, my studies," Sinda Garziz said.
"We’ve seen regular people, not police, not government, be the real ones standing up against the convoy and I hope we can keep doing that," Hurtig said.
Local organizations and residents are planning to meet again next Saturday for a community solidarity march. Organizers say it will also be a chance to show support for frontline workers -- calling on additional public health safety for workers, those with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized people affected by the pandemic.
"We are looking to hold our city, our mayor, police forces and government accountable for letting this happen," Husseini said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.