A cyclist walks past the barricades of Wellington St., near Parliament Hill, on April 27, Ottawa. Adrian Wilde / The Canadian Press
Ottawa is preparing for the arrival of a mass motorcycle rally this weekend, sparking fear among residents and city councilors that the city center could once again be subjected to harassment and noise that upset the capital during a truck convoy protest earlier this year. .
Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell said his forces are working with the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police and intelligence agencies to respond to a plan by more than 500 motorcyclists to descend downtown for a rally called the Rolling Thunder. Ottawa residents have sharply criticized local police for their seemingly slow approach to convoy demonstrations in February, which sparked the resignation of Police Chief Peter Sloley.
The organizers of the Rolling Thunder were not aware of the purpose of the rally, except for the intention to “celebrate our freedom peacefully.”
Speaking to the Ottawa City Council on Wednesday, Chief Bell said that while police have “absolutely no chance” of preventing motorcyclists from coming to Ottawa, truck and physical barrier-backed officers will be on site during what he called the planned “riot.” “Saturday afternoon.
“I want to be clear with both the organizers and the participants: You will be responsible for your actions before, during and after the events,” said Chief Bell.
“Threat or intimidating behavior will be addressed with all appropriate law enforcement action. Investigative teams, including our Hate Crimes Unit, are on site focused on gathering evidence and bringing charges when necessary. Showing symbols of hatred, such as swastikas, will lead to accusations. “
In an online statement Monday, Rolling Thunder organizer and veteran Neil Sheard encouraged all participants to obey the law.
City councilors said downtown residents and businesses were still traumatized by month-long convoys of convoys in which trucks occupied Parliament Hill and the surrounding area, harassing residents, emitting deafening air horns and polluting the air with diesel fumes causing headaches.
“People are nervous, but they are also fed up, and the people I hear about will not invade their neighborhoods by white racist, extremist groups,” said Catherine McKenney, a city councilor in the city center. ward, said during a council meeting on Wednesday.
Chief Bell said those concerns informed the police plan for this weekend, which includes an “exclusion zone” around Parliament Hill. Vehicles participating in the demonstrations will be banned from entering the area, reinforced by police and fencing.
Part of the exclusion zone is the National War Memorial, which rally organizers promised to reclaim after police cordoned off the monument during a convoy of trucks. Mr Sheard said in a video posted on YouTube that the veterans wanted to return to the Cenotaph to lay a wreath after it was “desecrated”.
Noise was a major problem during convoy demonstrations, when truck drivers blew horns at any time of the day, despite orders to silence them. Mx McKenney called on police to inspect every motorcycle entering the city center and to ban those with noise-canceling exhausts.
Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino said Wednesday that convoy demonstrations over the winter remain fresh in the minds of many Ottawa residents, and “we certainly do not want a repeat of the illegal occupation.”
When truck drivers refused to leave the center earlier this year, Ottawa police were quickly overwhelmed and demanded additional support. In one of the largest law enforcement operations in Canadian history, the RCMP, OPP and local police from across the country came down to the capital to clear the streets of the center.
Ottawa police are in contact with the RCMP and OPP and both forces will help with the events over the weekend.
The Ottawa Police Council met Wednesday night to approve up to 200 RCMP staff to assist local police this weekend. The board also approved the appointment of another 631 Mounties if more support is needed.
Former Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeaux, now a public safety consultant, said local police shared their plans with the public, the Ottawa City Council and the Ottawa Police Service Council, while being clear about their expectations of the protesters.
He said he was worried about whether the service had the best intelligence for the group’s or groups’ intentions, adding that it was very difficult.
The police service must use everything possible on social media, talk to organizers and other methods of gathering intelligence to get the best information possible, Mr Bordelo said. In addition, he said, employees must be able to quickly adapt to different situations as they develop.
It is unclear how much the rally could cost taxpayers in Ottawa this weekend, but the chief emergency services manager said the daily price would be similar to the reaction of the truck convoy. The city says federal partners have advised that all convoy costs be reimbursed to approximately $ 35 million.
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