'Blockaded by an angry, loud, intolerant and violent crowd': Federal officials say 'unlawful' Ottawa occupation needs to end
Category: News & Politics
Via: tessylo • 4 years ago • 11 commentsBy: Elisabetta Bianchini, Yahoo News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
'Blockaded by an angry, loud, intolerant and violent crowd': Federal officials say 'unlawful' Ottawa occupation needs to end
"Many of the actions that have taken place over the course of this demonstration have been unlawful and frankly disrespectful to the rights and freedoms of all Canadians," Bill Blair, emergency preparedness minister, said on Monday. "It is well past the time to bring this protest to an end."
Canada is a peaceful nation…and we look after our neighbours, and we treat each other with respect in this country. We do not threaten or intimidate our fellow citizens, we do not desecrate the National War Memorial, we don’t dishonour statues dedicated to national heroes and we do not tolerate individuals who wave flags riddled with symbols of hate and discrimination. Bill Blair
Blair said the federal government is proposing to convene a trilateral table with provincial and municipal partners to keep the "lines of communication open" during this "fluid and dynamic" situation.
"Many residents have been effectively held hostage in their own city, blockaded by an angry, loud, intolerant and violent crowd," public safety minister Marco Mendicino said. "While everyone believes in the right to free speech, this convoy has crossed the line of acceptable conduct towards fellow Canadians many, many times."
"It would be a terrible precedent to say that if you show up to the nation's capital with heavy equipment and blockade the capital city that you can force reckless change in our public policy. It’s been surprising that some who say they believe in law and order seem not to get this point."
Dominic LeBlanc, intergovernmental affairs minister, added that the prime minister has been "actively engaged" in daily briefings and updates from senior officials in the national security and intelligence community.
"No words can accurately describe the agony of what my community has gone through," Ottawa Centre Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi said. "For residents of downtown Ottawa, this continues to be a horrific experience."
"The protesters actions have not been peaceful or lawful. Members of my community have been harassed because of their skin colour, yelled at for wearing masks, subjected to hurtful and racist symbols, torturous honking, and there are accounts of assault...and over the weekend there was an attempt to light on fire an apartment building."
In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and minister Mendicino, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has asked for for assistance in securing 1,000 regular officers, 600 public order officers, 100 investigative officers and 100 civilian staff, in addition to supporting resources for digital, social media and financial forensics.
"I would also encourage the province of Ontario to draw on lessons learned form other provinces on how to use their road safety authorities to contain unlawful activities by commercial trucks," Alghabra said.
Canadians continue to react to the ongoing occupation in Ottawa, particularly now that demonstrations in Vancouver, Quebec City and Toronto largely only took place over one day this weekend.
Tags
Who is online
387 visitors
hmmm, so the people who are saying this protest is wrong and needs to end and the truckers need to have their vehicles towed and they need to be arrested... what were they saying about CHOP in Seattle back in 2020? There were businesses and residents in that area who were basically held hostage during that time also.
Did they ask them to “please” go home? I hear Canadians are a very polite people. Maybe that’s all it takes.
In all seriousness, blocking the roads is bullshit. I say it when conservatives do it and I say it when liberals do it. Demonstrate all you want, but let ordinary people get to work, school, the store, or - God forbid - the hospital.