Ottawa police are temporarily closing roads and bridges to limit traffic moving into the downtown core as the "Freedom Convoy" demonstration continues in downtown Ottawa.
Thousands of people and vehicles filled Wellington Street and nearby roads around Parliament Hill on Saturday, protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures for a ninth day.
The constant blaring of horns filled the Parliamentary Precinct, while people carried Canadian flags and signs calling for an end to vaccine mandates and denouncing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Two people on horse back were also spotted in downtown Ottawa, including one carrying a sign reading "Trump 2024."
Several protesters told CTV News on Parliament Hill that the prime minister is hiding and they want him to come out to address the crowd.
Three councillors had originally scheduled community safety walks in Centretown, however, Coun. Catherine McKenney and Jeff Leiper cancelled the walking saying it was "not safe to go downtown."
Latest updates: Protests in Ottawa and provincial capitals
Two guys on horses have arrived downtown #cdnpoli #ottnews pic.twitter.com/Okbf5EgStE
— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) February 5, 2022
Roads from Dalhousie Street to Bay Street and Albert Street to Wellington Street remain closed today, and police are once again urging people to avoid travelling in the downtown core.
"Attention Drivers: There will be multiple temporary road closures, 417 and 416 exit closures and southbound interprovincial bridge closures throughout the day as demonstration vehicles arrive near Ottawa," said police on Twitter at 10:26 a.m.
Ottawa police said there will be sporadic closures today on the following roads
Hwy. 417 westbound
- Nicholas
- Metcalfe
- Bronson
- Parkdale
- Island Park
Hwy. 417 eastbound
- Parkdale
- Rochester
- Kent
- Metcalfe
- Nicholas
- Vanier
- St. Laurent
Motorists may also experience closures along the highways at the Aviation Parkway, Woodroffe Avenue, Walkley Road, Montreal Road and Hwy. 174.
The city of Ottawa also said the Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway is closed between the Aviation Parkway and Sussex Drive due to the demonstration
Police are anticipating 300 to 400 trucks to join the demonstration today, along with 1,000 to 2,000 people on foot.
"We can expect to see an increase in vehicular traffic to the downtown core beginning on Saturday and increasing over the weekend, with again an anticipated decline in that traffic on Monday," said Deputy Chief Steve Bell.
"We’re also anticipating several protesters will attend on foot to gather in the area. Our information indicates that large groups of people who are both in support of the convoy as well as opposed to them continuing to be in the city will gather in the Parliamentary Precinct."
The "Freedom Convoy to Ottawa 2.0" was expected to travel from Alexandria and Franktown to Ottawa today. One convoy left Alexandria at 6 a.m., while another convoy is scheduled departed Franktown just after 8 a.m. and travelled to Parliament Hill.
"We have learned from our experience, we have gathered new evidence, we have secured new allies and we’re implementing new measures to bring this demonstration to an end," says Police Chief Peter Sloly
Second weekend of the Freedom Convoy in downtown Ottawa.
In front of Parliament Hill – tents, crane with a Canadian flag, stage with speakers. #ortnews pic.twitter.com/mtxECEpcmT
— Josh Pringle (@PringleJosh) February 5, 2022
Councillor questions extra officers
Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney says the extra officers deployed into downtown Ottawa "has made no difference."
Ottawa police announced Friday up to 150 uniformed and non-uniformed officers would be deployed into the Centretown, ByWard Market and Lowertown areas.
However, McKenney says it has made no difference.
"To Centretown residents and all others who are affected by the growing occupation of our city: On Friday, we were promised extra officers in our neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, this extra ‘surge’ in police has resulted in only 20-25 officers in all of Centretown," said McKenney on Twitter.
"The harassment and illegal activities continue with impunity."
McKenney renewed the call for the federal government to have the RCMP take over full operational control of the Parliamentary Precinct to allow OPS to focus on neighbourhoods.
On Friday, Moo Shu Ice Cream on Bank Street said it was closing until Feb. 9 due to the demonstration.
"One of our staff was physically assaulted on their way to work today, blocked on the sidewalk by two men and shoved to the ground for wearing a mask," said Moo Shu Ice Cream on Twitter.
"Based on the accounts we’ve heard from our neighbours, this behaviour is not an isolated incident."
This is not what we asked for. Until the federal government assumes full operational control over the full Parliamentary Precinct and red zone to allow OPS to turn their attention to our residential neighbourhoods nothing will change.
— Catherine McKenney (they/them) (@cmckenney) February 5, 2022
OTTAWA BASEBALL STADIUM
The Freedom Convoy demonstration has set up a camp in the parking lot at the RCTG Park on Coventry Road.
CTV News Ottawa’s Jeremie Charron says it appears to be a command centre for the convoy, with multiple large tents set up and at least 100 vehicles.
There are also several large saunas and propane and fuel supplies.
Some more visuals here: pic.twitter.com/y30Dn9sZoA
— Jeremie Charron (@JCharronCTV) February 5, 2022
Counterprotests in downtown Ottawa
Ottawa police say up to 1,000 counterprotesters are expected to be in downtown Ottawa to oppose the "Freedom Convoy."
Bell said he understands residents’ frustration, but asked counterprotesters not to come downtown this weekend.
"We would like to not have that to be another dynamic we have to manage," he said. "Let us successfully work to restore the trust and confidence in the police, restore feelings of safety and security in the neighbourhood, by being able to deploy our resources."
A group called "Reclaim Ottawa" had originally planned a counterprotest to the Freedom Convoy demonstration this afternoon, but part of the organizing committee cancelled the afternoon event at Ottawa City Hall.
Horizon Ottawa and the Coalition Against More Surveillance encouraged people not to attend the rally, saying there is "no safety plan in place."
Increased security in downtown Ottawa
People visiting downtown Ottawa will see increased security measures, along with more officers.
Police set up concrete and heavy equipment barricades on several streets to create "no-access" roadways.
Fences have also been installed around the National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Last weekend, photos showed vehicles parked at the memorial, and people using the monument as a washroom.
Ottawa police are investigating the desecration of the National War Memorial last Saturday, after video showed someone dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Community safety walks called off
Councillors Jeff Leiper, Catherine McKenney and Shawn Menard had scheduled the second of three community safety walks in the Centretown area today, but by noon, as the number of protesters started to grow, they advised residents to stay away.
"After evaluation, it is not safe to go downtown. Please avoid the area," Leiper said on Twitter.
McKenney urged residents to organize walks in their own neighbourhoods, but to avoid the area of Bank and Somerset.
"Please do not go down to this area. It is not safe today. Find a friend and walk in your own neighborhoods," they said.
After evaluation, it is not safe to go downtown. Please avoid the area.
— Jeff Leiper (@JLeiper) February 5, 2022
Menard thanked those who did come out and urged residents to be safe.
"We helped get people out safely. Thank you to the people that did come. Today is busy down here, walk with a buddy if services or groceries needed," he said.
Bouncy castle on Wellington Street
The "Freedom Convoy" demonstrators appear to be preparing for a festive atmosphere in front of Parliament Hill this weekend.
CTV News cameras found several bouncy castles and other inflatables ready for set up on Wellington Street.
There is also a large flatbed truck with speakers for speeches and musical performances outside Parliament Hill.
Lawsuit filed against protest organizers
Organizers of the protest are facing a potential $9.8-million class-action lawsuit over their constant honking behalf of residents of the city’s downtown core.
According to a statement of claim filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday by lawyer Paul Champ, the lawsuit is seeking $4.8 million for “private nuisance” and another $5 million in “punitive damages.”
Lawyer Paul Champ will be in court Saturday afternoon to argue for an injunction to stop the incessant horn honking, which has been used as a tactic by the demonstrators for more than a week.
"The air horns and train horns that they use go from 105 to 120 decibels non-stop. If you’ve heard a train horn going by you, that can be quite loud. Imagine it going on for 20 minutes straight, every hour on the hour. It’s become unbearable to live in downtown Ottawa," Champ told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s
He says he’s confident there will be an injunction.
"The evidence is pretty overwhelming, about the harm," Champ said. "We have medical evidence showing how that cause permanent hearing loss, disturbing sleep. We think we’ve got a pretty strong case to get this order."
However, a court injunction does still require some manner of enforcement. Champ says he doesn’t know how police will approach it, but the injunction would create additional penalties for those violating the order.
"The police will make their operational decisions about whether they feel it’s safe or not," Champ said. "The key here is that once we have that court order, any trucker who keeps blowing those horns knows that they’re in contempt of court and that’s a criminal offence and will be held against them at some later date, I can guarantee you that."
Meanwhile, An online fundraiser for the trucker convoy protests has been removed by GoFundMe after raising more than $10 million.
‘Customers are scared’: Downtown business owner
A Bank Street business owner says the ongoing occupation of downtown has been yet another difficulty for his business, following two years of a global pandemic.
Stewart Cattroll, co-owner of Freshii, tells Newstalk 580 CFRA’s that staff have been harassed and customers are afraid to come out.
"The protesters simply refuse to adhere to Ottawa Public Health rules, in particular wearing a mask when they enter stores," he said. "There are simply too many people who simply refuse to wear a mask and not only that, our staff are being harassed for wearing a mask inside the store. It’s not just enough for them to say they won’t wear a mask, they are harassing staff and customers for wearing a mask. The other issue is simply that the residents of Centretown are scared, and understandably so."
Cattroll said the ongoing situation has shaken his confidence in Ottawa police.
"I’ve spoken to police officers on Bank Street in the last week, expressing my frustration that the law is not being enforced," Cattroll said. "They have been polite, they’ve listened, but they have not done anything. So, I’m not confident in the police. I don’t have a lot of faith in the police, to be honest, right now. There’s, I think, been a huge loss of trust between the residents and businesses of Centretown and the Ottawa Police Service and that’s something that’s going to have to be resolved in the months to come.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Wellington Street remains closed to vehicle traffic as the “Freedom Convoy” protest in downtown Ottawa continues for a ninth day. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
A so-called “community kitchen” is open in Confederation Park, offering food to people during the Freedom Convoy demonstration. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
A protester shovels snow from around protest vehicles, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
People build a fire in a barrel at Confederation Park as a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in downtown Ottawa, on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
