Woman who stood on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier won't be charged: police
A woman who stood and shouted on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest has expressed remorse and will not be charged, Ottawa police say.
A video showed the woman standing on the tomb at the National War Memorial yelling ‘freedom’ on Jan. 29. Police released photos and video of the suspect in an effort to identify her.
Police said Thursday the woman has been identified, but will not be charged.
“She was spoken to, showed remorse for her actions and police are confident she will not re-offend,” police said in a statement to CTV News. “She was processed by other means, which is a police practice.”
Police say they are not releasing the woman’s name because she hasn’t been charged. They said she lives out of province.
“Suffice to say, the investigation into the female videotaped standing and yelling on the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier impacted people across the country,” the statement said.
“Inspector Jim Elves, who oversees our criminal investigators, is a veteran himself and understands the importance of this sacred monument. All that to say, after a thorough investigation was conducted and several parties were spoken to, the OPS are satisfied this was an isolated incident that won’t happen again from this person."
The video from the first weekend of what turned out to be a three-week occupation sparked outrage. Canada’s chief of the defence staff said he was “sickened” and Defence Minister Anita Anand called the behaviour “beyond reprehensible.”
Police later placed fencing around the memorial to keep the protesters out for the rest of the demonstration.
Police are preparing for another downtown protest this weekend, with the ‘Rolling Thunder’ demonstration expected to bring at least 500 motorcycles to the city.
Police have set up an exclusion zone that prohibits protest vehicles from entering, which includes the National War Memorial. However, people will be allowed to walk there. Ottawa's interim police chief said there are no plans to erect fencing around the memorial, but officers will be nearby.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.