Canada Day protests lacked the convoy’s ‘perfect storm of amplification’, expert says

A few hundred people marched through the city center to voice their opposition to the federal government and public health restrictions, compared to thousands on weekends during the winter.

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The protests staged in Ottawa over the weekend that caused only minimal disruption were a far cry from the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations that occupied downtown streets for three weeks earlier this year.

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While the initial protests saw vehicles blocking streets, the installation of a speaker’s platform and a hot tub on Wellington Street opposite Parliament Hill, last weekend’s protests saw measures such as security checks to visit Hill and prohibit access of vehicles to the area.

A few hundred people marched through the city center to voice their opposition to the federal government and public health restrictions, compared to thousands on weekends during the winter.

Howard Ramos, chair of Western University’s sociology department, said the context of last weekend’s protest was different, while over the winter there was a “perfect storm of amplification,” including Conservative MPs, people in the social media and mainstream media coverage.

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Ramos said the Ottawa Police Service and parliamentary security have learned from the winter demonstrations, as evidenced by the fact that vehicles were unable to get as close to Parliament as they have in the past.

He said it’s also important to note that many of the mandates from the winter have since been relaxed or removed, making it more difficult to get the “wide range of coalitions” that happened in the winter.

Somerset Ward County. Catherine McKenney said in an interview that last weekend was unique because it was Canada Day, so the city not only expected the protesters, but also knew that there would be thousands of people enjoying the holiday.

“So the threat of any kind of confrontation made me very concerned, it made my colleagues very concerned,” said McKenney, who uses the pronouns they and them.

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Statutory officers who issued tickets were also critical to keeping order, McKenney said, since people can’t set up tents, loudspeakers or structures without a permit.

“Bylaw’s response around those aspects was instrumental in ensuring that we didn’t have midnight gigs on Wellington Street, we didn’t have set stages, we didn’t even have tables set up where there’s that focal point to congregate,” MacKenney said.

Feedback from residents has been generally positive, but people were somewhat surprised by the significant number of armed police, they said. “We’re just not used to it.”

A balance must be struck between community safety and over-policing, McKenney said, contrasting February when they were “begging” police to enter residential neighborhoods that were “essentially lawless,” and when movement around the convoy begins to dissipate a bit.

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When asked what Ottawa police thought they had done differently this time, the service in a statement pointed to Interim Police Chief Steve Bell’s June 27 speech notes.

Police had been gathering intelligence, talking to organizers and watching open-source online commentary, he said, adding the service has taken “an enhanced and extended posture” that began well before Canada Day and extended “much later.” beyond” to ensure that it adequately protected the city. .

“Police’s robust planning, deployment and response overcame the challenges presented by this large event and protests,” a police spokesman said, adding that estimates of police costs for the weekend were not yet available.

The City of Ottawa worked closely with the Ottawa Police and other law enforcement partners in implementing a public safety plan, which included managing traffic and enforcing all applicable city statutes, said Kim Ayotte, manager. general of emergency services and protection of the city, in a statement.

The city also reached out to residents through various channels leading up to and over the Canada Day weekend, Ayotte said.

The response recalled the handling of the “Rolling Thunder” protest in late April, when Ottawa police called in more than 800 reinforcements from the RCMP and other forces to help, including blocking freeway exits and downtown streets. of the city to avoid a formation of camps.

That event cost police an estimated $2.5 million to $3 million.

the canadian press

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