'Zero tolerance': Ottawa Bylaw takes down table set up near Parliament ahead of Canada Day protests
'Zero tolerance': Ottawa Bylaw takes down table set up near Parliament ahead of Canada Day protests
Ottawa Bylaw says it ordered a small group of people to remove a table they had set up on Wellington Street in front of Parliament in advance of expected protests on Canada Day.
In a tweet, Ottawa Bylaw said the tables were ordered removed on Monday.
“There is zero tolerance for the placement of tables or any materials (including tents) that are encumbering sidewalks or roads during the upcoming protests,” the tweet said.
However, bylaw went on to say no charges were laid because the people with the table complied with the request to remove it.
A photo shared by Ottawa Bylaw shows a white table set up next to a sign that appears to reference ‘Freedom Convoy’ leader Pat King and the words “the line,” though part of the sign was obscured by a lamppost. The phrase “hold the line” was a rallying cry for the occupiers last winter as they were being pushed out of the downtown core by police.
“While we respect the fundamental right to protest, we ask in return that protesters respect residents of the City of Ottawa by following all municipal regulations,” Ottawa Bylaw said.
Groups have announced plans to protest in Ottawa against remaining COVID-19 public health protections and against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government.
This comes as Ottawa police prepare for what they have called an “unprecedented” Canada Day.
With the main stage at LeBreton Flats this year because of a large pit on Parliament Hill due to construction, Ottawa police say their downtown footprint on Canada Day will span roughly three kilometres from the Flats to the ByWard Market. Hundreds of RCMP officers are being brought in to bolster the local police force. A vehicle control zone is also being established.
Speaking on CTV News at Noon, interim Ottawa police chief Steve Bell said officers will be ready to respond to any attempts to occupy the city again and people should feel safe to celebrate Canada Day.
“The trauma our community suffered in February is front of centre through all of our planning,” he said. “Canada Day is about celebrating our country… We want to encourage people to come down and we want to let them know that you can come down to a large area that will have a festive environment to it.”
Bell said there will be protests, but as long as they’re lawful, downtown Ottawa will be “an amazing place to be on Canada Day.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sask. RCMP issue Amber Alert for 7-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy
An Amber Alert was issued Monday evening by Shaunavon RCMP in Saskatchewan for seven-year-old Luna Potts and eight-year-old Hunter Potts.

Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans, report says
After Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the European Union moved to block RT and Sputnik, two of the Kremlin's top channels for spreading propaganda and misinformation about the war. Nearly six months later, the number of sites pushing that same content has exploded, according to a report by NewsGuard.
Actor, singer Olivia Newton-John dies at age 73
Singer and actor Olivia Newton-John, who was best known for playing Sandy in the film 'Grease,' has died at the age of 73, according to her husband.
RCMP has been using spyware tools for years and in more cases than previously reported, MPs told
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and senior RCMP officers are defending the national police force's years-long and previously undisclosed use of spyware—capable of remotely accessing cell phone and computer microphones, cameras and other data—as part of dozens of major investigations.
Trump says FBI conducted search at his Mar-a-Lago estate
The FBI searched Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday, a move that represents a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the U.S. former president.
Saskatoon woman who had been reported missing faces charges in U.S., Canada
Federal prosecutors in the United States have accused a Saskatoon woman of faking her own death and that of her son in what they describe as an elaborate scheme to illegally enter the country.
4 Muslim men were killed in Albuquerque. Here's what we know about them
After ambush-style shootings of three Muslim men and the recent killing of a fourth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Muslim community in the city is on edge and fearful.
$1.4B in uncashed cheques sitting in CRA's coffers -- how to check if you're owed money
The Canada Revenue Agency says it will be sending e-notifications about uncashed cheques to 25,000 Canadians this month.
Liberals planning temporary solution to dental care promise: CP sources
Sources close to the government's proposed $5.3 billion dental care program say the Liberals are planning a temporary solution that involves giving money directly to patients in order to keep their promise to the NDP while they work on a more permanent answer.