Erika Ibrahim, The Canadian Press Published Friday, June 17, 2022 2:32 PM EDT Last Updated on Friday, June 17, 2022 3:27 PM EDT
An Ottawa police officer says Canada Day will be “unprecedented and unique” with an unprecedented security stance as major events take place on Parliament Hill and protests are planned throughout the day.
Police are aware of the protests and are “planning accordingly,” the officer said.
Canadian Heritage and police held a technical briefing on Friday on their plans for July 1. The media could only participate on the condition that officials were not appointed.
Ottawa and Gatineau police discussed their security plans as groups opposed to COVID-19 restrictions pledge to demonstrate in downtown Ottawa and Parliament Hill.
While Ottawa police will protect the right of everyone to demonstrate in a legal and peaceful manner, “we will not allow the conditions that led to the illegal protests to return in February,” the official said. , referring to the “Freedom Convoy” protest that blocked the streets of the center for three weeks.
The police service is applying the lessons learned from the convoy protest and the most recent rallies to build its plan and expects staffing and resource requirements to be important this year, the official said.
At the request of the city, police will also continue to ban vehicle protests in areas “in and around places of national importance,” the agent said.
Canadian media on Thursday reported on “freedom” protests against COVID-19 restrictions scheduled for this summer in Ottawa. One organizer says his group, Veterans for Freedom, plans to set up a semi-permanent camp in eastern Ottawa called “Camp Eagle” and hold events in the city throughout the summer.
When asked about the protests on Thursday, police ordered a reporter to ask questions at Friday’s briefing, where no answers could be attributed.
This year is the first time Ottawa Police will be the jurisdiction police for the main Canada Day event, the official said at the briefing.
Gatineau police have also developed plans to deal with all possible situations and will have enough staff to respond to various scenarios, a Quebec City agent said.
For the first time in 50 years, Ottawa Canada Day celebrations will be moved out of Parliament Hill, and major events will take place largely at LeBreton Flats Park in the city, along with events at the Place des Festivals Zibi in Gatineau, said Canadian Heritage.
Ottawa Police will receive support from other municipal, provincial and federal police services, but will not discuss what services or level of support it is receiving, the official said.
“We have the ability to deal with any illegal or disruptive behavior quickly.”
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 17, 2022.