Police arrested four people in downtown Ottawa on Thursday after a Canadian soldier accused of speaking out against COVID-19 vaccine requirements led a procession into the city and delivered a “freedom” speech before a rapt crowd of about 1,200 supporters.
James Topp was charged in February with two counts of conduct detrimental to good order and discipline for comments made while in uniform and has since led a four-month march to the capital from Vancouver.
Their march has been supported by many of the same figures involved in the “Freedom Convoy” that snarled downtown Ottawa for weeks until police used force to end what they and the government described as an illegal occupation. .
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Cheers and chants of “Freedom!” it erupted when he arrived at the National War Memorial on Thursday night. He knelt, weeping, with his hand on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before speaking to the crowd, thanking them for their support and urging them not to give up.
“I met thousands of people on my journey from Vancouver to Ottawa and many of them have given up hope. They feel lost. They are angry. They have lost faith in the system. We already started something,” she said.
“Heed the call. To assemble. Get organized. Plan. Which is the answer? Nonviolence. Peace.”
But not long after Topp’s comments, police said they were responding to a “situation” in the area and arrested four people for incidents that included assaults on police officers. An officer could be seen pouring water into his eyes as a nearby woman yelled that the police were using pepper spray.
At the same time, however, members of the crowd continued to merrily circle and line up to take pictures with Topp. Tourists and families were also wandering the scene, looking bewildered as they took pictures of the war memorial.
As the sun began to set, some protesters began setting off fireworks as officers watched.
Topp’s arrival in the capital and promises of a new round of protests starting on Canada Day have made residents nervous. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and the city’s interim Police Chief Steve Bell have vowed to crack down on any illegal activity.
Earlier Thursday, Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre joined the final leg of Topp’s march. Poilievre walked alongside Topp for about a half hour west of downtown Ottawa, where hundreds of people had gathered to see the Army reservist.
Video of the meeting shows Poilievre voicing his opposition to vaccination mandates and quoting to Topp a famous quote from then-Prime Minister John Diefenbaker about being a “free Canadian” when he signed Canada’s Bill of Rights in 1960.
When Topp said he wanted reinstatement and reparations for anyone who has lost their job due to vaccine mandates, Poilievre responded: “Everyone who lost their job simply due to a COVID mandate needs to be reinstated, without a doubt. some”.
The two also spoke about the divisions within Canada, with Poilievre saying: “Are people desperate for hope? I think it’s time to bring this country back together, heal the wounds and bring our country back together.”
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The two were then followed by about 200 supporters, many carrying Canadian flags and some camouflaged sports backpacks and other gear, as they walked down the sidewalk of a main street for about half an hour before Poilievre left.
A few hours later, hundreds of people gathered in a park south of downtown Ottawa for the final stretch to the National War Memorial. A long line of protesters, including at least one wearing a black armored vest, snaked through the park.
At one point, the crowd was greeted with a speech by a man in a military beret and civilian clothing who denounced defense chief Gen. Wayne Eyre’s order that all members of the Canadian Armed Forces be fully vaccinated. Members of the crowd booed loudly.
Poilievre’s appearance with Topp comes as the alleged darling of the Conservative leadership has been accused of brazenly reaching out to anti-vaccine protesters and other groups associated with the “Freedom Convoy”.
Tamara Lich, leader of the convoy that brought Ottawa to a standstill in February, appeared briefly in court Thursday after allegedly violating one of her bail conditions. Lich, who faces multiple charges including mischief and police obstruction, will remain in custody until her bond hearing on Tuesday.
Many protesters refused to be interviewed, saying they did not trust their words not to be misrepresented.
But Ottawa resident Richard Gervais, who was among hundreds of people who marched along the Rideau Canal into downtown Ottawa, called Topp an “inspiration to all of us.”
“Here he is, the most peaceful, nicest, most decent human being you could ever want to meet, and he’s walking across Canada to prove something,” he added.
Gervais said her adult son was one of hundreds of federal public servants forced to take unpaid leave because he refused to be vaccinated.
While the requirement has since been lifted, “we never know when they will come back,” Gervais said. “And we know he can come back with the flimsiest of excuses.”
He then accused the World Economic Forum of trying to take Canada’s sovereignty away while questioning the seriousness of COVID-19 and the efficacy of vaccines. All of these claims have figured prominently in the discourse surrounding the “Freedom Convoy.”
Topp has said he has no plans to lead an occupation of the capital and has invited Ottawa police to work with him to facilitate his march through the city.
However, an organizer with a group calling itself Veterans 4 Freedom said in a recent video posted on YouTube that he plans to set up a semi-permanent camp east of Ottawa called “Camp Eagle” and hold events in the city throughout the summer.
While police have since managed to prevent similar protests from taking over the city, keeping planned demonstrations from spiraling out of control on Canada Day is likely to be complicated by the presence of thousands of people celebrating the holiday.
The charges against Topp relate to two videos posted online in the winter in which the Army reservist appears in uniform criticizing vaccination requirements for military personnel and other federal employees.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are severely restricted in the comments they can make while in uniform, particularly when it comes to criticizing government policies, in large part to protect the armed forces from any perception of politicization.
His attorney has argued that such restrictions should not apply to policies that personally affect members of the Armed Forces.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that police are taking their responsibility to keep people safe during Canada Day celebrations “very seriously,” while Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on those with the intend to protest in Ottawa to respect the law.
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More than two dozen Conservative MPs greeted Topp and other leading figures at the “Freedom Convoy” on Parliament Hill last week, posing for photos, pledging their support and listening to a lecture on the alleged dangers of COVID vaccines. -19.
Health Canada says that only vaccines that meet strict safety, efficacy and quality standards are approved for use in the country, and the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh the risks of the disease. About 85 percent of Canadians have received at least one dose.
Topp told MPs he was marching in part to have all vaccine mandates repealed, as well as to demand the reinstatement of anyone who has lost their job due to such a requirement and compensation for lost wages.
At the same time, he and the others raised the specter of civil war by describing the state of the country.
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