Ottawa city officials say they are prepared for a “unique” Canada Day, with plans to prevent anti-government protests from turning into another occupation.
Traditional national broadcast shows return for the first time since 2019, this time from the plaza in front of the Canadian War Museum due to ongoing construction on Parliament Hill.
Ottawa police say they are expecting more protests and larger-than-usual crowds during the Canada Day celebrations as Freedom Convoy-related groups continue to plan demonstrations. Some in those groups have indicated that they would like to protest during July and August.
“This is expected to be a unique Canada Day, with larger crowds and a broader event,” Ottawa Acting Police Chief Steve Bell said during a Monday news conference.
Ottawa’s interim police chief Steve Bell says protesters will not be allowed to set up structures like sheds or tents, or have their own dance parties on city streets.
“We have developed our plans in the shadow of the illegal protests and the Rolling Thunder event. We have been speaking with members of the community and businesses and are well aware of the lingering trauma and concern over what they are hearing in the aftermath of those events. .”
Bell said officers will allow legal protests while shutting down illegal activities, including the installation of structures or loudspeakers without permits and the threat of occupation, such as on downtown streets in the winter.
He said police have been following comments online and trying to speak to people who have said they are coming to protest.
“[We’ve] planned, we’re prepared and we’ve got the resources,” Bell responded when responding to a question about whether police were ready to step in again as they did in late April, when officers shut down attempts to gather near the Rideau Center mall.
Provincial police and the RCMP have offered help to stop occupation attempts whenever there is a risk, he said.
The Ottawa Police Services Board received an update on Canada Day plans when it met Monday night.
Bell spoke about the number of casualties officers have had in recent months, noting that the demand is “not sustainable” and describing police as “fatigued” ahead of the long weekend.
“For this event, we actually had to cancel days off, we canceled discretionary time off, we called people who came back from their annual vacations,” the chief said. “This is an all-hands-on event, but that comes at a cost to the health and well-being of our members.”
At least 5 days of traffic control
Last week, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson told people planning to come to the capital to “don’t be intimidated by people who may come to Ottawa and cause trouble.”
He said Monday that he wants this to be a safe and festive event for children and families and that people who “come to disrupt” will be dealt with without notice.
Bell told the police board that the force has been clear with its expectations for protesters and that harassment will not be tolerated.
“If there are incidents of hate or bias crimes, if there is intimidation or threats, we will actively investigate them,” he said, adding that police know residents have “scars” from the occupation.
“I want to assure you that those feelings, that trauma that our community has felt is at the center of all of our planning efforts and will be at the center of our response efforts.”
Overall, Bell said police expect hundreds of thousands of people downtown. For comparison, some 56,000 people attended shows on Parliament Hill in 2019 and that doesn’t include everyone celebrating nearby.
There will be the traditional Canada Day road closures Friday July 1st and early Saturday, although there are more closures near LeBreton Flats due to that change in show location.
But the Ottawa police are setting another “vehicle exclusion zone” — similar to what was installed in late April for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally — with no street parking and no protest vehicles allowed from 8 a.m. Wednesday through at least 6 a.m. Monday, July 4.
Those plans can change if necessary, officials said Monday. People are asked to plan ahead, expect delays, and check city pages and local media for updates.
C.O. transport Y Transport company of l’Outaouais service is free on July 1 and when it comes to OC Transpo, until 4 am on July 2.
Reference-www.cbc.ca