Ottawa police say about a quarter of vehicles parked in downtown Ottawa as part of the trucker protests have children living in them, and authorities are worried for their safety.
Deputy Chief Steve Bell told reporters Tuesday that 25 per cent of the more than 400 trucks occupying the downtown core have children living inside.
“It’s something that greatly concerns us,” he said. “From the risk of carbon monoxide and fumes, the noise levels … we’re concerned about cold, we’re concerned about access to sanitation, the ability to shower.”
Bell said it’s something police need to address, and they’re having discussions with the Children’s Aid Society about what steps to take.
“We’re not at the stage of looking to do any sort of enforcement activity around that,” Bell added. “We’ll rely on the Children’s Aid Society to give us guidance around that.
“We just think it’s an important factor that complicates and makes this an even more challenging operation that’s important people are aware of.”
The presence of children isn’t the only complicating factor as police grapple with an occupation that has stretched into its 12th day.
Ottawa police have arrested 22 people and issued more than 1,300 tickets in relation to the trucker protests downtown, Bell said.
Protesters’ shifting tactics, including transporting jerry cans filled with water when police said they would crack down on people bringing gasoline into the red zone, are creating challenges.
“It identifies a level of sophistication and a level of ability of this group to try and subvert police efforts. That’s concerning to us,” Bell said.
Bell also said the force’s request for an additional 1,800 officers, which was sent to the provincial and federal governments on Monday, will be key to bringing the occupation to an end, including “hardening the area around the occupation,” which takes about 400 officers a day.
“We are absolutely committed to ending this. That’s why we’ve made the large ask we had, so that we can have the presence we need to successfully, expeditiously and quickly end this occupation.”
OFFICERS ARE TIRED
Bell said the ongoing demonstration and occupation has had a significant impact on the morale of rank and file officers within the Ottawa Police Service.
"Our members are tired. They are very tired," Bell said. "The morale is challenged through this. There is no other way to put it."
Bell said officers are working seven days straight in up to 18-hour days in the winter cold, with the risks associated with the protest. The additional officers that have been requested would help to give Ottawa officers a break.
"We asked for 1,800 officers, which is a big ask, because our members need that help and support in order to bring this to an end," he said. "This has been challenging for them and I’m proud of the work they do every single day."
POLL: NEARLY NINE IN 10 OTTAWA RESIDENTS WANT PROTESTERS TO LEAVE
The truckers remain despite a poll showing nearly nine-in-10 Ottawans want the protest to pack up and leave, including more than two-fifths of people who support the convoy.
On Monday night, convoy leaders held an "emergency press conference" in which a spokesperson said the truckers would be "willing to sit at a table" with the Conservatives, NDP and Bloc to form a coalition government, as well as sit with the Governor General. They said they have booked a hotel room in Ottawa on Tuesday in an effort to meet with the prime minister.
Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday morning the key to ending the demonstration is the 1,800 additional personnal Chief Peter Sloly requested in the city. Those requests went out to the premier and prime minister on Monday, he said.
"That’s our number one concern," Watson told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Leslie Roberts. "We need to get more officers to help stabilize this situation, to give some of our officers a day off."
The request for 1,800 additional police breaks down to 1,000 regular officers, 600 public order officers, 100 investigative officers and 100 civilian staff. Watson said it will take some time for them to arrive.
"The large number of numbers that we’re asking for, we’re not going to get them tomorrow," he said. "We just put in the request yesterday. It’s going to take some time. There’s logistics of physically getting txjmtzywhem here."
On Monday, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told CTV News protesters have been adapting their countermeasures to police enforcement, which is creating difficulty for officers in trying to enforce the law. He cited the example of refuelling.
Police on Sunday said anyone attempting to bring fuel or other supplies into the core to keep the protest trucks powered could be subject to arrest, but the protesters responded by filling the jerry cans with water, sometimes drinking from them in front of police to show they were not bringing fuel, while still managing to bring some fuel into the core to refill the trucks.
Sloly alleged that officers were swarmed at one point Monday afternoon when trying to stop someone with fuel, creating a "near-riot" situation. Deputy Police Chief Steve Bell told reporters that an investigation is underway, an arrest was made, and charges would be laid.
BUSINESES STRUGGLING
The protest continues to impact businesses in the downtown core, with some telling CTV News that the past 10 or more days have been some of the worst for business since the pandemic began because customers are scared to come downtown out of fear of confrontation with demonstrators, amid reports of harassment and intimidation. The Rideau Centre mall, the Canadian History Museum, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian War Museum all say they will remain closed until further notice while the demonstration continues.
Protesters, meanwhile, continue to claim they are on their best behaviour, saying they have been picking up trash on the street. A court injunction was granted Monday to stop the constant honking of horns, a tactic Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said was "tantamount to psychological torture." Much of the honking came to an end Monday, though it remains unclear if or when it will resume. Police say they are reviewing the injunction to determine how and when it will be enforced.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the issue in the House of Commons Monday evening, saying the protests have to stop.
“People of Ottawa don’t deserve to be harassed in their own neighbourhoods, don’t deserve to be confronted with the inherent violence of a swastika flying on a street corner, or a confederate flag, or the insults and jeers just because they’re wearing a mask. That’s not who Canadians are,” the prime minister said.
Federal officials stressed they have no intention to end COVID-19 mandates at this time, and would not let an "angry crowd" sway policy.
“No matter how much a small minority may hold themselves above public health measures, they are not above the law,” a statement said.
The city of Ottawa remains under a state of emergency because of the ongoing demonstration and occupation.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Police man a barricade in front of vehicles parked as part of the trucker protest, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 in Ottawa’s downtown core. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Ontario Provincial Police officers walk towards Parliament Hill on their rounds in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A convoy of trucks parked on Metcalfe Street in Ottawa’s downtown core. Feb. 7, 2022. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News Ottawa)
A protester splashes red Gatorade that he drank from a fuel container as a joke for onlookers, a day after police seized thousands of litres of fuel from an encampment in an attempt to quell a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns into its second week in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A protester drinks red Gatorade from a fuel container as a joke for onlookers, a day after police seized thousands of litres of fuel from an encampment in an attempt to quell a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns into its second week in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)
A protester carrying an empty fuel container on a broom handle walks on Metcalfe Street past Ontario Provincial Police officers, as a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns continues into its second week in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A protester carries fuel containers on Wellington Street, a day after police seized thousands of litres of fuel from an encampment in an attempt to quell a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
