OTTAWA

Two arrested, one still unidentified, after camp at National War Memorial dismantled

Ted Raymond CTV News Ottawa Digital Multi-Skilled Journalist

Published Monday, October 19, 2020 11:53AM EDT

Crews clear out detritus after an encampment set up by a fringe protest group beside the National War Memorial was removed, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, after it was vandalized earlier in the day. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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OTTAWA -- Ottawa police say two people were arrested, one of whom is still unidentified, after crews cleared out a camp at the National War Memorial over the weekend.

Officers were on scene on Saturday, Oct. 17 as crews dismantled the camp that had been in place since July 2. Members of a fringe protest group set up the camp. One of them has been recorded accosting politicians and journalists in Ottawa, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and a Radio-Canada journalist that was mistaken for a member of parliament. It is unclear if that individual is among the two people who were arrested on Saturday.

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Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) owns the land. Police were on scene to oversee the dismantling.

"[Our] role was to keep the peace," said Ottawa police spokesperson Martin Dompierre in a statement to CTV News. "We respect the rights of those who wish to demonstrate. We worked with PSPC and the City of Ottawa, to ensure that the encampment was vacated and dismantled in a safe and orderly manner. This includes ensuring everyone had transportation and a safe place to go."

Dompierre said there were three people at the camp on Saturday morning when officers arrived at around 6 a.m. One left without incident but the other two were arrested and charged under the Public Work Nuisance Act, which prohibits camping or erecting structures without ministerial approval.

"One of these two was immediately released with a promise to appear in court at a later date. As for the other, he refused to identify himself and was also charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer under section 129(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada," Dompierre said. "He was transported to our cell block and later to the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Center. Investigators are still attempting to identify this individual."

PSPC told CTV News in an email the campers were repeatedly told to leave before a written notice was officially issued on Oct. 15.

"Since July 2, 2020, protesters have occupied an encampment on the National War Memorial site. During this period, those in the encampment have been informed that camping and sleeping are not permitted on the site and have been asked to leave," PSPC spokesperson Michèle LaRose said. "While the Government of Canada respects the right to participate in peaceful demonstrations, on October 15, we officially notified individuals on the site that they must leave the premises through a written notice."

Signs indicating that camping at the site is prohibited had been posted in the spring, LaRose said, but were "displaced". New signaged was posted last week.