Police in Ottawa, Canada, have made it clear that they are prepared to end the protest against restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, which closed parts of the capital and disrupted the daily lives of residents for almost three weeks.
Authorities will employ “legal techniques” if necessary to remove protesters from the streets, according to Ottawa Acting Police Chief Steve Bell.
“Action is imminent,” he said. “In recent days, we have communicated directly with illegal protesters. We told them they should leave and warned them of the consequences of not following these rules.”
Ottawa police began erecting barriers and fences across the city center on Thursday in an effort to clear the area of protesters, who used trucks to block the city’s roads.
The secure area would ensure that those seeking entry for an “illegal reason, such as participating in a protest, cannot enter the downtown area,” according to Bell. With nearly 100 checkpoints, the perimeter covers most of downtown Ottawa and is much larger than the protest area so far.
Those who live, work or have a legal reason to be in the area will be allowed access, officials said.
“We have a very deliberate plan, which will take time, to be able to completely remove anyone from the group,” added Bell. “I’ll say it again, we want people to leave peacefully. But I can say that if not, we have plans, strategies and tactics,” he concluded.
Two protest organizers were arrested on Thursday for causing damage and obstruction, a lawyer told CNN. “Both Chris Barber and Tamara Lich are under arrest,” wrote Keith Wilson, a lawyer who represents both in legal issues related to the protest.
Video posted on social media shows Lich interacting with a police officer, being handcuffed and taken to a police car. Ottawa police have not confirmed the arrests and said an update will be provided this Friday. THE CNN tried to contact other protest organizers but received no response.
Lich encouraged protesters to rally in Ottawa and recently urged supporters to continue the demonstration despite the declaration of illegality. She created a GoFundMe campaign for “Freedom Convoy”, which raised millions of dollars before being suspended by the platform.
The convoy first arrived in Ottawa on January 29 to express its disapproval of a mandate requiring a vaccine to enter the country. Over the course of more than two weeks, the protest has morphed into a broader complaint against any and all measures against Covid-19, including the use of masks.
Trudeau defends emergency powers
Amid opposition in Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his decision to invoke emergency powers to end the demonstrations during a speech to lawmakers.
Opponents said the main purpose of invoking the Emergencies Act is to stifle funding for protesters in Ottawa.
“These illegal lockdowns are being strongly supported by individuals in the United States and other parts of the world,” Trudeau said. “We see that approximately half of the funding comes from the United States. The aim of all measures, including the financial ones in the Emergencies Act, is to deal only with the current threat and get the situation fully under control.”
The law, passed in 1988 and never used before, could temporarily suspend citizens’ rights to free movement or assembly. It may also provide for the use of the military, but Trudeau said that will not be necessary.
“We did this to protect families and small businesses. To protect jobs and the economy. We did this because the situation could not be addressed under any other law in Canada,” Trudeau said. “For the good of all Canadians, blockades and squatters must stop and borders must remain open.”
Border crossing blockades in Alberta and Ontario came to an end this week, with arrests being made as police cleared areas. Four individuals were charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the blockade in Coutts, Alberta, and several weapons and ammunition were seized.
Candice Bergen, interim leader of the Conservative Party, said on Wednesday that the party will not support a federal government motion to fully utilize those powers, according to CTV, a partner of the Conservative Party. CNN.
“He doesn’t go through steps one, two, three — he goes straight to 100 and invokes the Emergencies Act,” Bergen told CTV News. “I don’t think anything we’re going to see will change our minds, let’s oppose it.”
The government is expected to propose a motion in the House and Senate explaining why federal officials need the powers and specifying what actions will be taken, according to CTV. The federal government will work with prime ministers across the country “until the situation is resolved,” Trudeau said.
Source: CNN Brasil
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