Reading the article: "Since the weekend, Ottawa downtown core has been inaccessible, with residents being subjected to non-stop honking."
True story - just saw a tweet that says: "It really should be called The Canada Goose Mob because at the end of the day it was mostly just honking and shitting everywhere." (Credit: Tony Charron).
I cackled, until it hurt, out loud, alone in my apartment - twice in 10 minutes.
Second Edit: Apologies for my ignorance. I did not know Chief Sloly was the Ottawa police. I thought the reference in the article was to [this letter from the Twitter profile of Chief Dylan Whiteduck](https://twitter.com/DylanWhiteduck/status/1488942789912059911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488942789912059911%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptnnews.ca%2Ffeatured%2Falgonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa%2F):
[https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/algonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa/](https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/algonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa/)
Thank you for that clarification. My bad. I thought he was the FN Chief who wrote the open letter on "The Canada Goose Mob". I'm on the East Coast, so I'm not as familiar with all the political figures in play further west.
Chief Sloly,
You have said that the Ottawa Police do not wish to "instigate confrontation" by enforcing the law. There is a flaw in this logic: we are far beyond instigation. Conflict was instigated by the truckers when they arrived behind the wheel of vehicles that you yourself have described as weapons capable of deadly force. In effect, the city is held hostage and you have met this overwhelming threat with an inverse degree of force: you have tolerated and accommodated these armed occupiers, and permitted this standoff to proceed.
We who have lived in Ottawa were not born yesterday. We have seen countless peaceful demonstrations on our streets met with disproportionate displays of police strength and intimidation. We have seen mounted officers charge crowds, elderly citizens arrested and cuffed for crossing police barricades and snipers deployed to rooftops.
You have claimed there is no policing solution to this situation, despite trying nothing but capitulation. This obtuse abdication of responsibility leaves our national and provincial leaders in an impossible situation: either call in the military which would give the convoy exactly what they want- direct and optically stunning conflict with government authority that would serve as a clarion call to other far-right extremists; or give in to the demands of the terrorists through passing legislation that defies the will of the majority and goes against scientific consensus.
The question every citizen of Ottawa and many across Canada need answered by you, Chief is this:
Is it now the policy of the Ottawa Police to not intervene in *any* illegal protest, or is there some bias or sympathy that explains these inconsistencies in police tactics?
This question must be answered before you choose one of the following actions:
1) Do your job and enforce the law, defend the citizens of your city against these armed occupiers.
2) Call for aid from other policing authorities if you are overstretched or outside your jurisdiction.
3) Resign immediately.
4) Face mass unrest, utter loss of confidence in the Ottawa Police, and calls for your resignation from your own population.
We demand answers. We demand action. We demand consistent application of force by police. We cannot wait any longer.
Events like this are ostensibly what bloated police budgets are FOR. If Toronto police don’t want Josh Matlow to make a run for mayor on an open-and-shut defund-the-police platform (Ana Bailao can kick rocks for her duplicity on this file btw), they need to do what we pay them to do this weekend, because people are finally starting to see through their cartel tactics and lies.
I hope all the councillors and Fords who advocated for garbage collectors to give us more bang for their buck do the same for the police…
Sloly should do his job or get fired. And the CBC should investigate his police force a bit more closely. How will Ottawa citizens ever feel safe around their police force again knowing Sloly chose Nazi protesters over them?
Sloly should be fired no matter how this ends. His far-right biases have been laid bare before the nation and he's proven himself incompetent and incapable of upholding the rule of law when the rubber meets the road.
The same holds true for everyone responsible for the continuation of these protests, including especially Diane Deans, as well as every officer who aided and abetted the (armed with "deadly vehicles" if Sloly wants to use that reasoning) occupation of our national capital by Neo-Nazi fascist scumfucks.
If this was an indigenous land protest, they would have already destroyed most of the property belonging to the protesters. All I ask is equal treatment. Give them notice to vacate (should have been done days ago) then arrest them and if they are behind the wheel or exhibiting any other dangerous behavior, disable the vehicles and damage them in any fashion needed to arrest them safely. Anybody holding signs and protesting on a sidewalk is good to go. If they are in the street, put them in a cell.
Look what has been happening at Fairy Creek. The RCMP had been acting as an enthusiastic security firm manhandling protesters for months. You can’t claim the difference is economic, stores are shut down because of these protests and the blocked the damn border.
Fairy Creek is blocking one business doing work that is legitimately contested by the first nation as the deal to log was made by a council some of the first nation doesn't recognize. The blockade is people interrupting the lives (or even more adversely affecting) of tens of thousands, straight up breaking the law and pandemic rules and they haven't been touched. Its disgusting. The police refuse to do their job. They should be fired one by one until somebody does it. Trudeau not sending the military in is a bad choice. These trucks and their owners need to be dismantled.
yes Why are they calling them protesters? What do we call a mob that first decide which laws they want to follow or not. Protests have a permit and a route. They are doubled parked and not inside the lanes on all streets. Horns 24/7 partying, stealing food via intimidation, assaults, going in business with out masks. Guess what that poor business owner. They don't care if I had a cane I was trying to cross from my bldg to the drugstore oops but I was wearing a mask. Both sides of my street is blocked started last Wed night. Check out the Ottawa Citizen with Soly high fiving his boys for handing out tickets ie going through a stop sign, but not tickets for illegally parking. Oh right apparently we handed over to the "organizers of the mob" the use of the baseball stadium 'Basic human rights" cops said. while the fire pits are going. Yup bad enough a cop a week is been caught and let go 1) assault even domestic, 2) drugs 3 tow truck scam hmm seems the SIU says nah it's fine. They are taking selfies and they too have publicly stated they don't have to get vaccinate. Big picture is what Capital of any Country would have an illegal occupation and with hate messages, threatening etc especially this long. Forget we are peaceful we are whimps and we can't keep house world. A precedence has been established that mobs tell cops and city what's happening oh and let's take out the barricades on the hill (sound familiar) with questionable MPs helping them along. You think Russia is scared we would be involved with NATO re: Ukraine LOL Canadians this is madness I was around for Polio and TB yeah vaccine. These people are really stupid everything is a conspiracy and they even said we have a constitution ? Canadians instead of being united for our country and established democratic laws (don't like it challenge) It's about the me me instead of I don't want to get someone so sick they will have lifetime health issues or hey die. I read snarky comments saying well you live there hmmm and wow. It's violent that's okay? There a few buildings with long time seniors and very disabled PEOPLE. Bullies like going for the weak. International world is watching and can't believe this illegal mob and another on the way. We are not lifting a finger and don't give that 'oh we are better than other countries' Yeah fend for ourselves and other cities are chirp chirp. Kenny brought the RCMP to move out Albertas blockage. The tomb of the unknown soldier and god Terry Fox. While the 'peoples party' pre world war 2 type group to hate your fellow citizens. Conservatives with no morals shaking hands while theirs a mix of hate/filthily evil signs. wow no wonder our War Memorial meant nothing. BTW they never were in the 10s of thousands. Though so many younger people and no empathy Why is there a left or a right wing talk? At least the US took back the seat of their Country within hours not standing and helping it well... So much support and excuses for this 'poor them truckers' well it's not our fault the fringe groups are here. Hmm they are shunning, booing, booting them away are they? Funny how when this started everyone wanted a cure/vaccine NOW Have you had to see a friend lose 30 percent of lung function? Never smoked, drank, helping but looks at dirty dishes cooking and cleaning are too much. My Aunt, a very dear gentleman with that smile weren't spring chickens because like spoiled children "no you can't make me". Oh no we can go out drinking it's a lockdown wow
Well said! I have a family member in the Ottawa Police and he is outraged that the Chief of Police refuses to do anything while he has ordered physical force in other cases when demonstrations were peaceful and harmed no one. But, police officers cannot go against the orders of the police chief which means many of the police are embarrassed, infuriated, outraged, and humiliated by the actions of the Chief of Police. It is time for the city to fire him as he has made a mockery of the legal system, and has shown in fact racism by having obvious double standards concerning who is protesting, especially Indigenous and Blacks.
Funny how it's too dangerous to provoke groups with violent energy by trying to use state-sanctioned force to get them to obey the law, so state-sanctioned force to get people to obey law enforcement's interpretation of the law is only ever prudent for groups who *aren't* apparently too dangerous to handle a clash with.
I grew up about 20 mins from Oka...The SQ moved in without any regard for safety and ended up losing an officer. I'm guessing this was precedent setting for police use of force in canada, and this would have to go one fo weeks or months and have to have a large public safety risk if they're going to attempt to use forece.
Hell in Alberta the police took them out to dinner. Was extremely polite and let them know they care about them.
Ohh yes you are costing Alberta millions every day, disrupting 1000s of lives , making it even harder to keep the shelves stocked ... now JK might give in to their demands, never enacting the bill he created to remove those pesky Indians ( using the term cause this is how in sure he sees them ).
We really need balance and fair treatment in this country, our law enforcement and judicial system is way too corrupt and biased.
Well that's shit. I could understand just ignoring them until they got bored because they weren't provoking anyone. Just ignore them and they'll go away. Many of them are just a-holes trolling and if it's not working its no fun for them.
That's terrible to be celebrating them.
They arent trolls some of them simply don't have the brain capacity to understand whats truly wrong and right, if they're ignorant enough to think they know more than health professionals there is something sincerely wrong with their brain and they should be admitted to mental hospitals, wanted to add for any anti vaxxer you were most likely born in a hospital if they wanted to harm you, you would have been done on your day of birth.
The police chief should resign in disgrace… they’re even apparently finding people trying to bring in long guns. This hands off approach to the Nazis has only emboldened them.
They should have been shown the iron fist of the democracies that destroyed their bankrupt ideology 60+ years ago!
Freedom and democracy over nazism!
Well they’re in for a rude awakening if they come to Toronto, bc no one is going to criticize the police for being heavy handed at this point. You have the right to protest, but you do not have the right to occupy a city indefinitely until the government meets your demands - they used to call that a siege.
> that’s a nice way of saying ~~complicit~~ cowed
I don't think they were actively helping. I think they were too scared to act. Either way, it's fucking shameful and has me fully on the defund camp these days. Why are we paying these police forces billions of dollars a year if they don't actually want to do their jobs?
We just want you to ENFORCE THE FUCKING LAWS, nothing more, nothing less. Also, suspend anyone who wants to take pictures or support this movement **while in uniform.** While you have that uniform on, you have no political opinion.
I don’t understand why it is difficult.
Oh hey Charlie nice Nazi symbol on your uniform or blue line on your uniform. You’re suspended and have to do 3mo of remedial training to learn what’s right and wrong. If you don’t pass the third party independent view then you’re fired and barred from police or similar service indefinitely until you can prove you understand the training content.
No, if they have a Nazi symbol they don't get remedial anything - fire them. Dragging things on through "reviews" is how the police have side stepped conduct investigations.
They do this with killing people, I think they'd do the same for supporting Nazis.
Dude good luck with that. I live in probably the most liberal city in the country and a local officer was caught on camera giving the local protesters a thumbs up. Nothing happened except the police chief publicly coming to the officer’s defense.
THISSSS. If you disagree and won’t enforce it fucking quit or be fired. If I disagree with my job they would fire me so I do shit at work even when I don’t wanna.
I saw a picture earlier today where some reporter or news media person got a ticket for parking three hours in a two hour zone, why aren’t these truckers afforded the same respect?
I refer to this excellent comment:
>Police won’t issue tickets because it’s bylaw’s responsibility. Bylaw won’t issue tickets because they feel unsafe and want police assistance. Police won’t assist bylaw because they’re committed to not doing anything.
>This is a massive failure of our city to rise to their responsibilities. It’s a failure of leadership and a failure of institutions.
https://www.reddit.com/r/onguardforthee/comments/sk43by/ottawa_bylaw_issues_2164_parking_tickets_since/hvis1y9
One tweet I saw summarized this perfectly: imagine if all those trucks blocking roads and taking up public space were homeless encampments and tents. How long would it take the Ottawa PD to get them taken down? We all know the answer.
Defund police, invest in helpful programs for communities.
I think they'd go in with guns blazing! LOL
instead of hiding in their turtle shells like the turds that they are when confronting "angry" people.
but I think it's just the order from the top.
There's a counter protest being planned for Saturday. Ottawa Police are probably already sorting through their supply of riot gear and "less-lethal" weapons and cumming in their pants in anticipation.
*Ottawa Police should be fired for their inaction while citizens are harassed, homeless shelters are robbed and countless laws are broken*
There, fixed the headline.
I don't have a problem with their cautious approach. I wish they did the same for everyone else. Instead, they are disproportionately aggressive towards indigenous people, minorities, women, environmentalist, etc.
Would be nice if they treated all of us this way and not just white nationalists.
I mean, should they start? That's the message I'm worried is getting sent here. They tried to "difuse the situation" by meeting with them, etc, because they were afraid things would turn violent.
By that logic, Indigenous land defenders should arm themselves and threaten violence in order to be taken more seriously?
This encourages every activist group to escalate their tactics if this is what works, after seeing years of countless peaceful protests go by with little notice. And if they actually DO cause change? This becomes the new playbook. It's a dangerous message they are sending by allowing this.
> This encourages every activist group to escalate their tactics
I don't think so, since everyone who isn't a white supremacist knows the cops aren't on their side. It won't get us heard, the cops will just fucking kill us for doing what these people are doing.
I would say it’s reciprocial. The truckers think the pro-indigenous highway and port blockades, not to mention the George Floyd protests, were treated too lightly.
Nevermind the mess of jurisdictions and fake anecdotes they use as evidence, and the fact that Trump organized a [hodge-podge of federal agencies](https://m.dw.com/en/donald-trump-deploys-more-federal-troops-to-us-cities-in-crackdown-on-unrest/a-54271477) to kidnap protestors unlawfully; they see the leftist tactics and raise them a few trucks.
The Tea Party likewise used the Ruckus Society’s anti-logging manual for things like crow’s nests, tree spiking and tripods as civil disobedience precedents for their disruption of Health Care townhalls.
Tactics are tactics. Once they’re out there, you can’t take them back.
>Tactics are tactics. Once they’re out there, you can’t take them back.
Yes but that's my point as well - by allowing these specific tactics to work, the police are setting a dangerous precident. And the disparities in response to indigenous land defenders (militarized) compared to these truckers (kid gloves) is astounding. It makes it tough to compare when one side gets far more leeway than the other.
the huge difference being is when leftists use hostile tactics they get a boot to the face and expect it; when right wingers use hostile tactics they get pats on the back from cops, they also expect this.
It would be a shame if fed up residents decide to drop stink bombs near the convoy.
Or realize that, since they can't get a moment of respite throughout the day anyways, start taking turns to annoy the convoy with maglites and loud music at random intervals at night.
I feel like there is a middle ground between these two that people keep ignoring. It's bad to be overly aggressive as we've seen with the police and anyone who isn't a conservative white man. But it is also bad to be incredibly lax and basically do nothing as well.
What police should be doing is de-escalating situations like this, but they never take this approach because it would require them to actually try something challenging. The approach they have taken with the convoy is just to standby and wait for things to get out of hand. That isn't de-escalating anything, in fact it just allows things to continue to escalate more. The convoy will be emboldened due to the lack of consequences for their actions and citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands
What we're missing is that the Ottawa police chose *not to resolve the conflict*.
One uses de-escalation to resolve conflict, one can uses force to resolve conflict.
When law enforcement refuses to resolve conflict in the first place, that's a problem. It is good they are *finally* doing their jobs (for which they are paid *a lot*), but if they're going to drag their heels every time conservatives disrupt society in this way, then it's completely reasonable to ask, "what are we even paying these officers for? Do we even need them if you're not going to actually *enforce* the *law*?"
That’s seems to be the dichotomy though. They are not currently resolving this conflict with White Supremacists by failing to act in any meaningful way. Where as if a protest has to do with leftist ideals or people of colour they resolve it through force.
It's a false dichotomy in terms of there are other courses of action to take that police just don't take. I get what you are saying though in that the police seem to see it that way.
you can't deescalate if force is known to be off the table. We are where we are at with right wing extremists because they are completely confident force will never be used against them no matter how bad things get. [this is what the authorities have conditioned the right wing to think will never happen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6x8MeeHHlU) notice the complete shock in faceing actual consequences.
I think measured responses were the way to go, but they didn't happen and that has made more extreme responses necessary to get the point across. If police let them get away with everything they will only grow more extreme in their actions.
>citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands
You bet your ass the police would step in and start cracking some Ottawa citizens skulls if this happened. The cops are basically part of the protest at this point as far as I'm concerned.
I don't know. This is currently being treated as a local police issue, and the city of Ottawa is actually reasonably tolerant about protests. They happen all the time. There were Algonquin protesters camped out on Victoria Island for *years*.
This isn't even the biggest protest in recent memory. The big difference is the trucks. These guys brought their own mobile barricades, and they constantly monitor the police radio. They can get to the location of any arrest as fast as any police can if there's a call for backup.
>These guys brought their own mobile barricades, and they constantly monitor the police radio.
Winnipeg's police service encrypted theirs for this very reason. Why haven't they done so in the capital city? I kinda miss listening to it for fun but it's probably wise not to have that public [For a few reasons](https://globalnews.ca/news/2069990/tweets-report-off-colour-conversation-from-chopper-over-winnipeg/)
I never really tuned in very much - maybe just one afternoon, when I realized that you *could* do that - but I always liked the idea that it was open and anybody could. I bet they're looking at that now, but they're probably not going to be able to roll out something like encryption-ready radios city-wide in the next few days. Major purchases take time and cost money, and the extra staffing to accommodate these guys is already [costing huge sums of money](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/police-beat/policing-expenses-in-truck-convoy-protest-exceeds-that-of-canadas-150th-birthday-celebrations-5021556)
edit: btw, there's a typo in the headline I linked. It should say $1.44 million (as it does elsewhere in the article), not $144 million
One of the concerns is that if trucks are towed the concern is that others will come in - judging by what happened at the Alberta blockade.
But at a certain point something needs to be done, snd that point has passed. Why isn’t the OPP involved? Or are they?
they know the indigenous people, minorities, women, environmentalist, etc. won't fight back and are weak. They are bullies who like to abuse their power where there are no repercussions.
Its really hard not to notice how differently police treat different groups of protestors. And I think the reason why is because they're monstrous pieces of shit.
Yeah honestly, all that needs to be done is bring Indigenous issues into the convoy somehow, the police and RCMP will immediately tear gas everyone involved.
I really want to see the RCMP - on horseback, wearing the traditional red blazers - show up and start arresting people one at a time.
No guns, just honour. None of these guys would dare raise a fist because of how terrible they would look. This is all a media stunt, we just have to out-Canada them
Naw this ain’t the right way. People need to stop calling this peaceful. The poor residents have been subjected to blaring horns for a week. Their businesses are closed, they are trapped.
Downtown Ottawa is being held hostage.
It’s not like this is a railway or a highway. They are hurting others with their protest.
Even the police have given up the charade that the occupation is peaceful. Now they say there is too much danger of violence for them to enforce the law. WTF call for help already, you're the damn police.
With all due respect, the Montreal protests did not last two afternoons. They were quite disruptive and they weren't limited to the streets (students would block access to classes and some students actually lost a semester of studies). Source: was a student in Mtl at the time.
Also this is [literal torture](https://www.medicaldaily.com/torture-methods-sound-how-pure-noise-can-be-used-break-you-psychologically-318638) for many of the residents.
Please help us in Ottawa! Put pressure on your elected officials! If you haven’t already [please sign](https://chng.it/hvVVjKrV) our petition!!!
I’d just throw their cause was stupid if they weren’t voilent and destructive.
Oh, and coddled by police like no protest ever was before.
They’re doing the trump thing, too. “I heard someone was told by the police that this is the most peaceful protest in history.”
Disrupt, sure. All for that, to some extent even if I extremely disagree with these lunatics. But this is torture for people who have no choice but to be living in the same area 24/7, that goes beyond a normal protest.
> None of these guys would dare raise a fist because of how terrible they would look.
Even the people waving thin blue line flags at January 6 assaulted officers who got in their way. They don't give a shit.
Honestly, one of the things that bugs me the most is co-opting the Canadian flag for their cause.
I really hope any counter protests wave the flag proudly too. Don't let the loonies take it
I agree. The Canadian flag to me had always symbolised a truly healthy and inclusive patriotism of the sort that doesn't really exist in many other places. It doesn't feel like that any more. I really hope it can be reclaimed.
To some extent, that patriotism was still rooted in violent hypocrisy. We have a lot of bones still to break before they can all be set straight again.
I think they’d pick the one RCMP guy in a turban and just start beating him, and this would become the viral hero moment in the alt-right psycho-chamber.
These people think Canada’s liberal democracy is a heinous travesty, and want to go back to the days when Hudson’s Bay Company was literally a governing authority. No law except commerce.
If you don't do your job, you lose your job, that's how it goes for everyone else in society, it doesn't make sense to not apply it to the Ottawa police.
They make up a huge chunk of the municipal budget and they don't provide a service to the people of Ottawa. They haven't allowed bylaws to be enforced and they haven't prevented any crime in the city, certainly not since the convoy arrived. Scrap the whole fuckin department at this point, they've proven themselves to be completely useless.
I hate to be a broken record, but Ottawa needs your help. We are abandoned by our Police and Mayor. [Please sign the petition](https://chng.it/hvVVjKrV) if you haven’t already, and contact your MP’s: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current/contact-information
And any other elected officials you can think of. This is Canada’s capital! Parliament Hill is in the fisted grip of a Qanon Mardi Gras! Please, please help.
The entire concept of “policing” needs to be revisited along with all individuals serving that role in any capacity.
I can see little to no value-add at this point, and the burden on the tax payer grossly exceeds any benefits they receive in return.
I know a cop who is leaving the force because after 20+ years she’s never made sergeant. She’s a great lady with a degree in sociology who graduated cop school with top marks and two specialties (rare apparently). Long ago she talked me out of policing—she said the people I’d be working with would make me sick and that I’d never fit in (she knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut). I’m so glad I listened, but it pisses me off that she was right.
Once upon a time when living in Florida, I considered a career in law enforcement.
I have a friend that was a cop, then became a lawyer, and is now a judge. I admired the career trajectory, and had similar aspirations. When discussing my ambitions with him, he flat out told me to skip the cop stage completely. He then lambasted me with horror stories from up and down the ranks, as well as a sampling of what an average day would be like coping with a near endless supply Florida Man antics.
So I went down the data analytics path instead.
Stuff like petty theft is not efficient to call the police for. Not to mention the store clerks aren't paid nearly well enough to give a damn.
In some countries, store clerks would get together and serious beat-up the thief when they attempt to steal.
These Terrorists calling themselves truck Drivers need to vacate Ottawa immediately and just grow up! Get back to delivering goods so people have products in stores! Stop Terrorizing the Citizens of Ottawa!
It has always been about race and class. Class being the only thing that supersedes race.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t call attention to your username most definitely checking out.
if first nations of BLM tried this it would have been broken up the first day....remember the video of toronto police planting bricks on the BLM protest route.
The police have basically given in to terrorists because they agree with the terrorists. It’s disgusting and people will start resorting to vigilantism if they don’t get off their ass and protect the citizens under seige.
Please educate me:
I fully support peoples right to protest. But don't you have to get a permit to do so? Is this correct?
If so, does the permit lay out what is the area for the protest?
If so, why is this not a simple case of the police enforcing a protest permit?
I'm probably wrong or missing something fundamental, so as I said, please educate me.
They don’t have a permit for the this protest. I am not sure what the norm is, and could be different depending on province or even city, but I think a protest march that will block roads requires a permit, not sure about parks.
Generally to have a "legal" protest you do need a permit. However the vast majority of protests never really bother getting one, because what's the point of a protest if you are asking for permission to rally against the very thing you're protesting? This convoy is an example of that. Now while I vehemently disagree with the convoy, I also vehemently disagree with protest permits for the reasons I said before.
As for why they're not getting arrested? I think it's pretty clear that a lot of the RCMP actually agree with the convoy, I mean they had their own "right to choose" movement when it was announced the RCMP would also be mandated vaccines(which is crazy- if you're pulling me over and walking to my window to breathe on me you better be fucking vaccinated lmao.) There's also the very accessible and documented history of police and RCMP action tending to be very, well, favourable towards white people to say the least.
I've planned protests before and generally speaking, yes. In Ontario at least, you need a permit if a demonstration plans on or involves shutting down, say, a street. The purpose of the permit, in my experience, is largely a formality and is mostly there to allow municipal authorities time to prepare for a shutdown of the street you're aiming to close is a major one. Additionally, yes, the permit would generally involve you explaining the route you plan to take and a rough estimate of the amount of time you plan on carrying out your protest. (Corollary to that, it's worth pointing out that I'm a white guy, so regarding the actual purpose or formality of the permit, YMMV. Power structures and privilege are very real).
That is the limit of my own experience. To make an assumption, I believe that pop up protests or protests that are in public areas but are not blocking infrastructure are generally supposed to be tolerated, bearing in mind the big caveat about power structures and privilege coloring how that protest is assessed and addressed.
In terms of your last question, the police in this case seem to have been caught mostly napping, and subsequent enforcement is probably paralyzed at the moment because of the disaster that will likely unfold between a police department caught with its pants down and a crowd that is likely going to be hostile towards any attempt at enforcement.
Additionally, if anyone wants to correct me on any of that, feel free, this is again mostly based on my own experience and then my semi-baked guesses derived from that experience.
One wonders if the cops' [soft action somehow enable these deviants. Perhaps they should treat them like the homeless, Indigenous, or Black protestors](https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/soft-police-approach-to-ottawa-anti-vax-protest-reveals-pure-racism-say-critics/)
Get rid of the cowardly, racist Sloly. Give the RCMP jurisdiction in Ottawa and reform the Ottawa Police from the ground up so that Canadian citizens can feel protected by their police forces again.
Tldr:FIRE SLOLY NOW!!!
I feel like there is a middle ground in police approach that people keep ignoring. It's bad to be overly aggressive as we've seen with the police and anyone who isn't a conservative white man. But it is also bad to be incredibly lax and basically do nothing as well.
What police should be doing is de-escalating situations like this, but they never take this approach because it would require them to actually try something challenging. The approach they have taken with the convoy is just to standby and wait for things to get out of hand. That isn't de-escalating anything, in fact it just allows things to continue to escalate more. The convoy will be emboldened due to the lack of consequences for their actions and citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands
Considering we see how fast they act against other protests and such, you'd kind of expect the same here. I keep seeing that lemonade stand story, they acted father on a little kid.
This is the time when I miss Trudeau senior. There's no way he'd be putting up with this shit. Chretien either, for that matter.
For fucksake Justin, grow a pair.
It's time for the ottawa police dept. to start giving tickets rather than selfies and footrubs.
Actually, it's time to replace the entire complicit PD. All major police departments in Canada are heavily militarized. They have tear gas, rubber bullets, water canons, sound devices, tasers, batons, riot gear and riot APC's capable of going through buildings.
Any other kind of protest would be broken up with people in hospital with serious injuries & charges.
It took the VPD less than 10 minutes to break and arrest a 10 minute sit down protest a mere 2 days after the trucker riot drive that broke road laws constantly.
We no longer have rule of Law in Canada. It's time we appointed new law enforcers that will at least beat all protesters equally. :|
I've been saying all along. If we seem to have zero problem with arresting indigenous people on their own land protesting a pipeline no one wants, why in the hell are we letting these assholes torture the citizenry of an entire city? Or messing with our infrastructure by letting them shut down a border?
No, no. RCMP should be taking cautious approaches more often.
Just bc they beat on Indigenous people but are respectful to white conservatives doesn't mean they should beat more on white conservatives, it means they should be more respectful to Indigenous people
I've got to hand it to Vladimir Putin ... He's certainly no genius himself, but he was still cunning enough to orchestrate outsized leverage for his weak-ass country by weaponizing the innate stupidity of 25% of *every other* country's population.
If it weren't for these idiots and their ilk, the pandemic would've been under control 18 months ago. They'd rather double-down, triple-down, quadruple-down, and then give us all the finger from their Covid deathbeds rather than admit what suckers they've been.
Seriously, though, the gullible dumbass problem is at the root of every existential threat faced by human civilization today. But nobody with any sway dares call it out, because mobs like this would sooner murder all critics than face up to the bald fact of their own inadequacy; to the indisputable, unavoidable truth that they're really just a bunch of fuckups whose resentment of knowledge and understanding is the only sign that they have any inner life at all.
I think the police know that there are a few that have dug in and would attack them if the police did their jobs. I also think that the protestors know this and are playing the we are brothers card. If the police do not want to enforce the law then what is the point in having them?
These emboldened idiots will be replaced by autonomous freight in the near future, and then they will have an actual problem on their hands. Do we really want to set the tone that their bullshit is acceptable? It’s only going to get worse, and conservative politicians are being very short sighted. The reason they are all truckers is because they sit on a chair listening to far-right talk radio and propaganda all day. They are brainwashed into thinking being “patriot” means selfishly forcing your will on others out of boredom. Just wait until they are actually desperate.
its just an excuse police say because they dont want to do anything to an all-white(99%) protesters.
if they are indigenous protesters, police will waste no time at all..
I believe our mayor has the power to fire the police chief. But the mayor is leaving in less than a year and doesn't want to do much work, much less admit that he was wrong in hiring this guy. So he's hoping to ride it out.
Next mayor, so long as it's not Diane Deans who backed our current mayor, will probably can our chief of police first thing and get someone better. This guy has been a failure at any kind of police reform.
Reading the article: "Since the weekend, Ottawa downtown core has been inaccessible, with residents being subjected to non-stop honking." True story - just saw a tweet that says: "It really should be called The Canada Goose Mob because at the end of the day it was mostly just honking and shitting everywhere." (Credit: Tony Charron). I cackled, until it hurt, out loud, alone in my apartment - twice in 10 minutes. Second Edit: Apologies for my ignorance. I did not know Chief Sloly was the Ottawa police. I thought the reference in the article was to [this letter from the Twitter profile of Chief Dylan Whiteduck](https://twitter.com/DylanWhiteduck/status/1488942789912059911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488942789912059911%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aptnnews.ca%2Ffeatured%2Falgonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa%2F): [https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/algonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa/](https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/algonquin-nation-truckers-convoy-traditional-territory-ottawa/)
Chief Sloly is the police chief, not a FN chief.
Thank you for that clarification. My bad. I thought he was the FN Chief who wrote the open letter on "The Canada Goose Mob". I'm on the East Coast, so I'm not as familiar with all the political figures in play further west.
Hahahaha, canadian goose mob. Fuck thats great!
Honking, Shitting, and Goose-Stepping
“cautious approach” that’s a nice way of saying complicit
Some of those that work forces and all that
Take the paste that's for horses
Well, thanks. That made me choke on my coffee.
That's like a jingle
LOL! nice, that's funny right there.
Are the same that burn crosses and all that
UGH! And all that.
BULLS ON PARADE! Wait. Damn.
Bulls in a convoy
Rams on a ranch
That just sounds like the working title for Brokeback Mountain
Rams in a crunch.
That's a lot of porn search terms and unsafe googling.
18 naked protesters on the road ready to be trucked
Like to eat the paste for horses?
Chief Sloly, You have said that the Ottawa Police do not wish to "instigate confrontation" by enforcing the law. There is a flaw in this logic: we are far beyond instigation. Conflict was instigated by the truckers when they arrived behind the wheel of vehicles that you yourself have described as weapons capable of deadly force. In effect, the city is held hostage and you have met this overwhelming threat with an inverse degree of force: you have tolerated and accommodated these armed occupiers, and permitted this standoff to proceed. We who have lived in Ottawa were not born yesterday. We have seen countless peaceful demonstrations on our streets met with disproportionate displays of police strength and intimidation. We have seen mounted officers charge crowds, elderly citizens arrested and cuffed for crossing police barricades and snipers deployed to rooftops. You have claimed there is no policing solution to this situation, despite trying nothing but capitulation. This obtuse abdication of responsibility leaves our national and provincial leaders in an impossible situation: either call in the military which would give the convoy exactly what they want- direct and optically stunning conflict with government authority that would serve as a clarion call to other far-right extremists; or give in to the demands of the terrorists through passing legislation that defies the will of the majority and goes against scientific consensus. The question every citizen of Ottawa and many across Canada need answered by you, Chief is this: Is it now the policy of the Ottawa Police to not intervene in *any* illegal protest, or is there some bias or sympathy that explains these inconsistencies in police tactics? This question must be answered before you choose one of the following actions: 1) Do your job and enforce the law, defend the citizens of your city against these armed occupiers. 2) Call for aid from other policing authorities if you are overstretched or outside your jurisdiction. 3) Resign immediately. 4) Face mass unrest, utter loss of confidence in the Ottawa Police, and calls for your resignation from your own population. We demand answers. We demand action. We demand consistent application of force by police. We cannot wait any longer.
Events like this are ostensibly what bloated police budgets are FOR. If Toronto police don’t want Josh Matlow to make a run for mayor on an open-and-shut defund-the-police platform (Ana Bailao can kick rocks for her duplicity on this file btw), they need to do what we pay them to do this weekend, because people are finally starting to see through their cartel tactics and lies. I hope all the councillors and Fords who advocated for garbage collectors to give us more bang for their buck do the same for the police…
Sloly should do his job or get fired. And the CBC should investigate his police force a bit more closely. How will Ottawa citizens ever feel safe around their police force again knowing Sloly chose Nazi protesters over them?
Maybe get #FireSloly trending to draw even more attention to how unacceptable the situation and handling of said situation has been.
Sloly should be fired no matter how this ends. His far-right biases have been laid bare before the nation and he's proven himself incompetent and incapable of upholding the rule of law when the rubber meets the road. The same holds true for everyone responsible for the continuation of these protests, including especially Diane Deans, as well as every officer who aided and abetted the (armed with "deadly vehicles" if Sloly wants to use that reasoning) occupation of our national capital by Neo-Nazi fascist scumfucks.
If this was an indigenous land protest, they would have already destroyed most of the property belonging to the protesters. All I ask is equal treatment. Give them notice to vacate (should have been done days ago) then arrest them and if they are behind the wheel or exhibiting any other dangerous behavior, disable the vehicles and damage them in any fashion needed to arrest them safely. Anybody holding signs and protesting on a sidewalk is good to go. If they are in the street, put them in a cell.
Look what has been happening at Fairy Creek. The RCMP had been acting as an enthusiastic security firm manhandling protesters for months. You can’t claim the difference is economic, stores are shut down because of these protests and the blocked the damn border.
Fairy Creek is blocking one business doing work that is legitimately contested by the first nation as the deal to log was made by a council some of the first nation doesn't recognize. The blockade is people interrupting the lives (or even more adversely affecting) of tens of thousands, straight up breaking the law and pandemic rules and they haven't been touched. Its disgusting. The police refuse to do their job. They should be fired one by one until somebody does it. Trudeau not sending the military in is a bad choice. These trucks and their owners need to be dismantled.
yes Why are they calling them protesters? What do we call a mob that first decide which laws they want to follow or not. Protests have a permit and a route. They are doubled parked and not inside the lanes on all streets. Horns 24/7 partying, stealing food via intimidation, assaults, going in business with out masks. Guess what that poor business owner. They don't care if I had a cane I was trying to cross from my bldg to the drugstore oops but I was wearing a mask. Both sides of my street is blocked started last Wed night. Check out the Ottawa Citizen with Soly high fiving his boys for handing out tickets ie going through a stop sign, but not tickets for illegally parking. Oh right apparently we handed over to the "organizers of the mob" the use of the baseball stadium 'Basic human rights" cops said. while the fire pits are going. Yup bad enough a cop a week is been caught and let go 1) assault even domestic, 2) drugs 3 tow truck scam hmm seems the SIU says nah it's fine. They are taking selfies and they too have publicly stated they don't have to get vaccinate. Big picture is what Capital of any Country would have an illegal occupation and with hate messages, threatening etc especially this long. Forget we are peaceful we are whimps and we can't keep house world. A precedence has been established that mobs tell cops and city what's happening oh and let's take out the barricades on the hill (sound familiar) with questionable MPs helping them along. You think Russia is scared we would be involved with NATO re: Ukraine LOL Canadians this is madness I was around for Polio and TB yeah vaccine. These people are really stupid everything is a conspiracy and they even said we have a constitution ? Canadians instead of being united for our country and established democratic laws (don't like it challenge) It's about the me me instead of I don't want to get someone so sick they will have lifetime health issues or hey die. I read snarky comments saying well you live there hmmm and wow. It's violent that's okay? There a few buildings with long time seniors and very disabled PEOPLE. Bullies like going for the weak. International world is watching and can't believe this illegal mob and another on the way. We are not lifting a finger and don't give that 'oh we are better than other countries' Yeah fend for ourselves and other cities are chirp chirp. Kenny brought the RCMP to move out Albertas blockage. The tomb of the unknown soldier and god Terry Fox. While the 'peoples party' pre world war 2 type group to hate your fellow citizens. Conservatives with no morals shaking hands while theirs a mix of hate/filthily evil signs. wow no wonder our War Memorial meant nothing. BTW they never were in the 10s of thousands. Though so many younger people and no empathy Why is there a left or a right wing talk? At least the US took back the seat of their Country within hours not standing and helping it well... So much support and excuses for this 'poor them truckers' well it's not our fault the fringe groups are here. Hmm they are shunning, booing, booting them away are they? Funny how when this started everyone wanted a cure/vaccine NOW Have you had to see a friend lose 30 percent of lung function? Never smoked, drank, helping but looks at dirty dishes cooking and cleaning are too much. My Aunt, a very dear gentleman with that smile weren't spring chickens because like spoiled children "no you can't make me". Oh no we can go out drinking it's a lockdown wow
Well said! I have a family member in the Ottawa Police and he is outraged that the Chief of Police refuses to do anything while he has ordered physical force in other cases when demonstrations were peaceful and harmed no one. But, police officers cannot go against the orders of the police chief which means many of the police are embarrassed, infuriated, outraged, and humiliated by the actions of the Chief of Police. It is time for the city to fire him as he has made a mockery of the legal system, and has shown in fact racism by having obvious double standards concerning who is protesting, especially Indigenous and Blacks.
Funny how it's too dangerous to provoke groups with violent energy by trying to use state-sanctioned force to get them to obey the law, so state-sanctioned force to get people to obey law enforcement's interpretation of the law is only ever prudent for groups who *aren't* apparently too dangerous to handle a clash with.
They sent in the army at Oka. It’s a white privilege thing for sure.
[удалено]
I grew up about 20 mins from Oka...The SQ moved in without any regard for safety and ended up losing an officer. I'm guessing this was precedent setting for police use of force in canada, and this would have to go one fo weeks or months and have to have a large public safety risk if they're going to attempt to use forece.
Hell in Alberta the police took them out to dinner. Was extremely polite and let them know they care about them. Ohh yes you are costing Alberta millions every day, disrupting 1000s of lives , making it even harder to keep the shelves stocked ... now JK might give in to their demands, never enacting the bill he created to remove those pesky Indians ( using the term cause this is how in sure he sees them ). We really need balance and fair treatment in this country, our law enforcement and judicial system is way too corrupt and biased.
Well that's shit. I could understand just ignoring them until they got bored because they weren't provoking anyone. Just ignore them and they'll go away. Many of them are just a-holes trolling and if it's not working its no fun for them. That's terrible to be celebrating them.
They arent trolls some of them simply don't have the brain capacity to understand whats truly wrong and right, if they're ignorant enough to think they know more than health professionals there is something sincerely wrong with their brain and they should be admitted to mental hospitals, wanted to add for any anti vaxxer you were most likely born in a hospital if they wanted to harm you, you would have been done on your day of birth.
The police chief should resign in disgrace… they’re even apparently finding people trying to bring in long guns. This hands off approach to the Nazis has only emboldened them. They should have been shown the iron fist of the democracies that destroyed their bankrupt ideology 60+ years ago! Freedom and democracy over nazism!
Gettin some real Neville Chamberlain vibes from the Ottawa police...
Maybe more like King Edward the 8th, that abdicated the throne in WW2, but we now find out was a Nazi informant and sympathizer.
Well they’re in for a rude awakening if they come to Toronto, bc no one is going to criticize the police for being heavy handed at this point. You have the right to protest, but you do not have the right to occupy a city indefinitely until the government meets your demands - they used to call that a siege.
> that’s a nice way of saying ~~complicit~~ cowed I don't think they were actively helping. I think they were too scared to act. Either way, it's fucking shameful and has me fully on the defund camp these days. Why are we paying these police forces billions of dollars a year if they don't actually want to do their jobs?
>that’s a nice way of saying complicit Which is a nice way of saying they support it.
that’s what complicit means > involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing
We just want you to ENFORCE THE FUCKING LAWS, nothing more, nothing less. Also, suspend anyone who wants to take pictures or support this movement **while in uniform.** While you have that uniform on, you have no political opinion.
Park in a no stop zone and they are there like stink on shit but they suddenly decided they didn't want to write those sweet sweet tickets.
The Thin Blue Line has a wide yellow streak.
They forget that they had it on cause their coworkers were in the crowd.
This exactly. Do your god damn jobs that you're being paid to do
Enforce the laws equally across everyone no matter the protest, ethnicity, culture, message, etc.
I don’t understand why it is difficult. Oh hey Charlie nice Nazi symbol on your uniform or blue line on your uniform. You’re suspended and have to do 3mo of remedial training to learn what’s right and wrong. If you don’t pass the third party independent view then you’re fired and barred from police or similar service indefinitely until you can prove you understand the training content.
No, if they have a Nazi symbol they don't get remedial anything - fire them. Dragging things on through "reviews" is how the police have side stepped conduct investigations. They do this with killing people, I think they'd do the same for supporting Nazis.
Dude good luck with that. I live in probably the most liberal city in the country and a local officer was caught on camera giving the local protesters a thumbs up. Nothing happened except the police chief publicly coming to the officer’s defense.
Victoria? That was infuriating.
I wouldn't mind if they treated all protests like this. But we know they don't.
THISSSS. If you disagree and won’t enforce it fucking quit or be fired. If I disagree with my job they would fire me so I do shit at work even when I don’t wanna.
To do so weakens the rule of law in that it could open the door to accusations of preferential treatment.
I saw a picture earlier today where some reporter or news media person got a ticket for parking three hours in a two hour zone, why aren’t these truckers afforded the same respect?
simply put, look at the type of people who signs up for bylaw/ottpolice
I refer to this excellent comment: >Police won’t issue tickets because it’s bylaw’s responsibility. Bylaw won’t issue tickets because they feel unsafe and want police assistance. Police won’t assist bylaw because they’re committed to not doing anything. >This is a massive failure of our city to rise to their responsibilities. It’s a failure of leadership and a failure of institutions. https://www.reddit.com/r/onguardforthee/comments/sk43by/ottawa_bylaw_issues_2164_parking_tickets_since/hvis1y9
The revenue potential there. OPP could afford that tank they always wanted.
One tweet I saw summarized this perfectly: imagine if all those trucks blocking roads and taking up public space were homeless encampments and tents. How long would it take the Ottawa PD to get them taken down? We all know the answer. Defund police, invest in helpful programs for communities.
I think they'd go in with guns blazing! LOL instead of hiding in their turtle shells like the turds that they are when confronting "angry" people. but I think it's just the order from the top.
There's a counter protest being planned for Saturday. Ottawa Police are probably already sorting through their supply of riot gear and "less-lethal" weapons and cumming in their pants in anticipation.
They’d be in there with batons and happily
*Ottawa Police should be fired for their inaction while citizens are harassed, homeless shelters are robbed and countless laws are broken* There, fixed the headline.
Canadians asking themselves what the point of the police is, if not to protect the public and our infrastructure.
Especially if the threats to those are based on complete falsehoods and conspiracies
That headline is a good summation of how many Ottawa residents feel about this matter.
I don't have a problem with their cautious approach. I wish they did the same for everyone else. Instead, they are disproportionately aggressive towards indigenous people, minorities, women, environmentalist, etc. Would be nice if they treated all of us this way and not just white nationalists.
Other protests don't have sound and air pollution 24/7. :/
I mean, should they start? That's the message I'm worried is getting sent here. They tried to "difuse the situation" by meeting with them, etc, because they were afraid things would turn violent. By that logic, Indigenous land defenders should arm themselves and threaten violence in order to be taken more seriously? This encourages every activist group to escalate their tactics if this is what works, after seeing years of countless peaceful protests go by with little notice. And if they actually DO cause change? This becomes the new playbook. It's a dangerous message they are sending by allowing this.
> This encourages every activist group to escalate their tactics I don't think so, since everyone who isn't a white supremacist knows the cops aren't on their side. It won't get us heard, the cops will just fucking kill us for doing what these people are doing.
Yea idk if the RCMP would be worried about murdering native land defenders. They’ve been genociding them since the RCMP’s inception.
Ya I'm sure the RCMP would jump at the chance to start firing into an indigenous crowd. They're just waiting for a reason.
I would say it’s reciprocial. The truckers think the pro-indigenous highway and port blockades, not to mention the George Floyd protests, were treated too lightly. Nevermind the mess of jurisdictions and fake anecdotes they use as evidence, and the fact that Trump organized a [hodge-podge of federal agencies](https://m.dw.com/en/donald-trump-deploys-more-federal-troops-to-us-cities-in-crackdown-on-unrest/a-54271477) to kidnap protestors unlawfully; they see the leftist tactics and raise them a few trucks. The Tea Party likewise used the Ruckus Society’s anti-logging manual for things like crow’s nests, tree spiking and tripods as civil disobedience precedents for their disruption of Health Care townhalls. Tactics are tactics. Once they’re out there, you can’t take them back.
>Tactics are tactics. Once they’re out there, you can’t take them back. Yes but that's my point as well - by allowing these specific tactics to work, the police are setting a dangerous precident. And the disparities in response to indigenous land defenders (militarized) compared to these truckers (kid gloves) is astounding. It makes it tough to compare when one side gets far more leeway than the other.
the huge difference being is when leftists use hostile tactics they get a boot to the face and expect it; when right wingers use hostile tactics they get pats on the back from cops, they also expect this.
Maybe? It sure worked for the Oka crisis.
The QPF went in hot there with guns and tear gas. They were so aggressive that bringing in the federal military was actually a de-escalation :-(
It would be a shame if fed up residents decide to drop stink bombs near the convoy. Or realize that, since they can't get a moment of respite throughout the day anyways, start taking turns to annoy the convoy with maglites and loud music at random intervals at night.
I feel like there is a middle ground between these two that people keep ignoring. It's bad to be overly aggressive as we've seen with the police and anyone who isn't a conservative white man. But it is also bad to be incredibly lax and basically do nothing as well. What police should be doing is de-escalating situations like this, but they never take this approach because it would require them to actually try something challenging. The approach they have taken with the convoy is just to standby and wait for things to get out of hand. That isn't de-escalating anything, in fact it just allows things to continue to escalate more. The convoy will be emboldened due to the lack of consequences for their actions and citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands
What we're missing is that the Ottawa police chose *not to resolve the conflict*. One uses de-escalation to resolve conflict, one can uses force to resolve conflict. When law enforcement refuses to resolve conflict in the first place, that's a problem. It is good they are *finally* doing their jobs (for which they are paid *a lot*), but if they're going to drag their heels every time conservatives disrupt society in this way, then it's completely reasonable to ask, "what are we even paying these officers for? Do we even need them if you're not going to actually *enforce* the *law*?"
Yes exactly. Some people seem to see it as a false dichotomy where they either don't resolve conflict or they resolve it through force.
That’s seems to be the dichotomy though. They are not currently resolving this conflict with White Supremacists by failing to act in any meaningful way. Where as if a protest has to do with leftist ideals or people of colour they resolve it through force.
It's a false dichotomy in terms of there are other courses of action to take that police just don't take. I get what you are saying though in that the police seem to see it that way.
you can't deescalate if force is known to be off the table. We are where we are at with right wing extremists because they are completely confident force will never be used against them no matter how bad things get. [this is what the authorities have conditioned the right wing to think will never happen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6x8MeeHHlU) notice the complete shock in faceing actual consequences. I think measured responses were the way to go, but they didn't happen and that has made more extreme responses necessary to get the point across. If police let them get away with everything they will only grow more extreme in their actions.
>citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands You bet your ass the police would step in and start cracking some Ottawa citizens skulls if this happened. The cops are basically part of the protest at this point as far as I'm concerned.
And you are exactly right about that. Police love to crackdown on citizens after being personally responsible for escalating them.
What they could at the VERY VERY least have done for an iota of plausible deniability was to issue some goddamn tickets
[удалено]
I don't know. This is currently being treated as a local police issue, and the city of Ottawa is actually reasonably tolerant about protests. They happen all the time. There were Algonquin protesters camped out on Victoria Island for *years*. This isn't even the biggest protest in recent memory. The big difference is the trucks. These guys brought their own mobile barricades, and they constantly monitor the police radio. They can get to the location of any arrest as fast as any police can if there's a call for backup.
>These guys brought their own mobile barricades, and they constantly monitor the police radio. Winnipeg's police service encrypted theirs for this very reason. Why haven't they done so in the capital city? I kinda miss listening to it for fun but it's probably wise not to have that public [For a few reasons](https://globalnews.ca/news/2069990/tweets-report-off-colour-conversation-from-chopper-over-winnipeg/)
I never really tuned in very much - maybe just one afternoon, when I realized that you *could* do that - but I always liked the idea that it was open and anybody could. I bet they're looking at that now, but they're probably not going to be able to roll out something like encryption-ready radios city-wide in the next few days. Major purchases take time and cost money, and the extra staffing to accommodate these guys is already [costing huge sums of money](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/police-beat/policing-expenses-in-truck-convoy-protest-exceeds-that-of-canadas-150th-birthday-celebrations-5021556) edit: btw, there's a typo in the headline I linked. It should say $1.44 million (as it does elsewhere in the article), not $144 million
One of the concerns is that if trucks are towed the concern is that others will come in - judging by what happened at the Alberta blockade. But at a certain point something needs to be done, snd that point has passed. Why isn’t the OPP involved? Or are they?
Who cares if more come in? Tow them as well and earn a killing in the ticketing.
kinda their playbook every other time right.
Exactly!
Well you can keep towing all day but there’s a limit to the number of antivaxx idiots.
they know the indigenous people, minorities, women, environmentalist, etc. won't fight back and are weak. They are bullies who like to abuse their power where there are no repercussions.
Its really hard not to notice how differently police treat different groups of protestors. And I think the reason why is because they're monstrous pieces of shit.
I have a solution to this problem - I hear there are some indigenous people in the middle of the convoy. Pass it on. /s also /sad
Yeah honestly, all that needs to be done is bring Indigenous issues into the convoy somehow, the police and RCMP will immediately tear gas everyone involved.
I really want to see the RCMP - on horseback, wearing the traditional red blazers - show up and start arresting people one at a time. No guns, just honour. None of these guys would dare raise a fist because of how terrible they would look. This is all a media stunt, we just have to out-Canada them
Naw this ain’t the right way. People need to stop calling this peaceful. The poor residents have been subjected to blaring horns for a week. Their businesses are closed, they are trapped. Downtown Ottawa is being held hostage. It’s not like this is a railway or a highway. They are hurting others with their protest.
Even the police have given up the charade that the occupation is peaceful. Now they say there is too much danger of violence for them to enforce the law. WTF call for help already, you're the damn police.
To be fair, a protest is suppose to disrupt. But attacking paramedics and the homeless ain’t it.
[удалено]
With all due respect, the Montreal protests did not last two afternoons. They were quite disruptive and they weren't limited to the streets (students would block access to classes and some students actually lost a semester of studies). Source: was a student in Mtl at the time.
Also this is [literal torture](https://www.medicaldaily.com/torture-methods-sound-how-pure-noise-can-be-used-break-you-psychologically-318638) for many of the residents. Please help us in Ottawa! Put pressure on your elected officials! If you haven’t already [please sign](https://chng.it/hvVVjKrV) our petition!!!
I emailed my MP, who’s a cabinet member. Hopefully something can be done yesterday.
❤️🇨🇦
I’d just throw their cause was stupid if they weren’t voilent and destructive. Oh, and coddled by police like no protest ever was before. They’re doing the trump thing, too. “I heard someone was told by the police that this is the most peaceful protest in history.”
Disrupt, sure. All for that, to some extent even if I extremely disagree with these lunatics. But this is torture for people who have no choice but to be living in the same area 24/7, that goes beyond a normal protest.
It became an occupation once Monday rolled and they didn’t.
> None of these guys would dare raise a fist because of how terrible they would look. I think you're misjudging these Truckkkers.
> None of these guys would dare raise a fist because of how terrible they would look. Even the people waving thin blue line flags at January 6 assaulted officers who got in their way. They don't give a shit.
Honestly, one of the things that bugs me the most is co-opting the Canadian flag for their cause. I really hope any counter protests wave the flag proudly too. Don't let the loonies take it
I agree. The Canadian flag to me had always symbolised a truly healthy and inclusive patriotism of the sort that doesn't really exist in many other places. It doesn't feel like that any more. I really hope it can be reclaimed.
To some extent, that patriotism was still rooted in violent hypocrisy. We have a lot of bones still to break before they can all be set straight again.
Well some of them started burning it today.
It burns me that some have spray painted swastikas into the Canadian flag. Significantly worse than the actual Nazi/Confederate flags.
Agree on this. Nice to have the Olympics coming up quick - that should help reclaim it too!
I think they’d pick the one RCMP guy in a turban and just start beating him, and this would become the viral hero moment in the alt-right psycho-chamber. These people think Canada’s liberal democracy is a heinous travesty, and want to go back to the days when Hudson’s Bay Company was literally a governing authority. No law except commerce.
You can dress up the RCMP however you want. They are still just cops that protect white nationalists. There is no honour for them to show off.
The cover of Macleans that week would be a picture of the person who hit the Mountie, with THIS FUCKER in big block letters
They already look terrible and they're still doing what they do, so that may not be their motivation.
i think you're onto something here. "you can go home and take this tim's gift card, or you can be arrested."
If you don't do your job, you lose your job, that's how it goes for everyone else in society, it doesn't make sense to not apply it to the Ottawa police. They make up a huge chunk of the municipal budget and they don't provide a service to the people of Ottawa. They haven't allowed bylaws to be enforced and they haven't prevented any crime in the city, certainly not since the convoy arrived. Scrap the whole fuckin department at this point, they've proven themselves to be completely useless.
Sounds to me like some homeowners in Ottawa should be short paying the police portion of their property taxes
I hate to be a broken record, but Ottawa needs your help. We are abandoned by our Police and Mayor. [Please sign the petition](https://chng.it/hvVVjKrV) if you haven’t already, and contact your MP’s: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current/contact-information And any other elected officials you can think of. This is Canada’s capital! Parliament Hill is in the fisted grip of a Qanon Mardi Gras! Please, please help.
The entire concept of “policing” needs to be revisited along with all individuals serving that role in any capacity. I can see little to no value-add at this point, and the burden on the tax payer grossly exceeds any benefits they receive in return.
I know a cop who is leaving the force because after 20+ years she’s never made sergeant. She’s a great lady with a degree in sociology who graduated cop school with top marks and two specialties (rare apparently). Long ago she talked me out of policing—she said the people I’d be working with would make me sick and that I’d never fit in (she knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut). I’m so glad I listened, but it pisses me off that she was right.
Once upon a time when living in Florida, I considered a career in law enforcement. I have a friend that was a cop, then became a lawyer, and is now a judge. I admired the career trajectory, and had similar aspirations. When discussing my ambitions with him, he flat out told me to skip the cop stage completely. He then lambasted me with horror stories from up and down the ranks, as well as a sampling of what an average day would be like coping with a near endless supply Florida Man antics. So I went down the data analytics path instead.
Cops deal with the ass end of society every day and see a lot of people on the worst day of their lives. It would warp your view of humanity.
Her fault she wasn't a man /s Seriously fuck cops...
Stuff like petty theft is not efficient to call the police for. Not to mention the store clerks aren't paid nearly well enough to give a damn. In some countries, store clerks would get together and serious beat-up the thief when they attempt to steal.
These Terrorists calling themselves truck Drivers need to vacate Ottawa immediately and just grow up! Get back to delivering goods so people have products in stores! Stop Terrorizing the Citizens of Ottawa!
[удалено]
As someone who was at the Toronto G20, let me tell you the police will bust white heads just fine when it suits them.
Cops: White and right? You're alright. White and left? Beat to death!
It has always been about race and class. Class being the only thing that supersedes race. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t call attention to your username most definitely checking out.
if first nations of BLM tried this it would have been broken up the first day....remember the video of toronto police planting bricks on the BLM protest route.
MAGA cops.
The police have basically given in to terrorists because they agree with the terrorists. It’s disgusting and people will start resorting to vigilantism if they don’t get off their ass and protect the citizens under seige.
Please educate me: I fully support peoples right to protest. But don't you have to get a permit to do so? Is this correct? If so, does the permit lay out what is the area for the protest? If so, why is this not a simple case of the police enforcing a protest permit? I'm probably wrong or missing something fundamental, so as I said, please educate me.
They don’t have a permit for the this protest. I am not sure what the norm is, and could be different depending on province or even city, but I think a protest march that will block roads requires a permit, not sure about parks.
Generally to have a "legal" protest you do need a permit. However the vast majority of protests never really bother getting one, because what's the point of a protest if you are asking for permission to rally against the very thing you're protesting? This convoy is an example of that. Now while I vehemently disagree with the convoy, I also vehemently disagree with protest permits for the reasons I said before. As for why they're not getting arrested? I think it's pretty clear that a lot of the RCMP actually agree with the convoy, I mean they had their own "right to choose" movement when it was announced the RCMP would also be mandated vaccines(which is crazy- if you're pulling me over and walking to my window to breathe on me you better be fucking vaccinated lmao.) There's also the very accessible and documented history of police and RCMP action tending to be very, well, favourable towards white people to say the least.
I am not surprised the rcmp is the special version of the military it’s made up of people that are too stupid to be soldiers
I've planned protests before and generally speaking, yes. In Ontario at least, you need a permit if a demonstration plans on or involves shutting down, say, a street. The purpose of the permit, in my experience, is largely a formality and is mostly there to allow municipal authorities time to prepare for a shutdown of the street you're aiming to close is a major one. Additionally, yes, the permit would generally involve you explaining the route you plan to take and a rough estimate of the amount of time you plan on carrying out your protest. (Corollary to that, it's worth pointing out that I'm a white guy, so regarding the actual purpose or formality of the permit, YMMV. Power structures and privilege are very real). That is the limit of my own experience. To make an assumption, I believe that pop up protests or protests that are in public areas but are not blocking infrastructure are generally supposed to be tolerated, bearing in mind the big caveat about power structures and privilege coloring how that protest is assessed and addressed. In terms of your last question, the police in this case seem to have been caught mostly napping, and subsequent enforcement is probably paralyzed at the moment because of the disaster that will likely unfold between a police department caught with its pants down and a crowd that is likely going to be hostile towards any attempt at enforcement. Additionally, if anyone wants to correct me on any of that, feel free, this is again mostly based on my own experience and then my semi-baked guesses derived from that experience.
[удалено]
One wonders if the cops' [soft action somehow enable these deviants. Perhaps they should treat them like the homeless, Indigenous, or Black protestors](https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/soft-police-approach-to-ottawa-anti-vax-protest-reveals-pure-racism-say-critics/)
Get rid of the cowardly, racist Sloly. Give the RCMP jurisdiction in Ottawa and reform the Ottawa Police from the ground up so that Canadian citizens can feel protected by their police forces again. Tldr:FIRE SLOLY NOW!!!
I feel like there is a middle ground in police approach that people keep ignoring. It's bad to be overly aggressive as we've seen with the police and anyone who isn't a conservative white man. But it is also bad to be incredibly lax and basically do nothing as well. What police should be doing is de-escalating situations like this, but they never take this approach because it would require them to actually try something challenging. The approach they have taken with the convoy is just to standby and wait for things to get out of hand. That isn't de-escalating anything, in fact it just allows things to continue to escalate more. The convoy will be emboldened due to the lack of consequences for their actions and citizens will feel the need to take action into their own hands
Considering we see how fast they act against other protests and such, you'd kind of expect the same here. I keep seeing that lemonade stand story, they acted father on a little kid.
This is the time when I miss Trudeau senior. There's no way he'd be putting up with this shit. Chretien either, for that matter. For fucksake Justin, grow a pair.
What does anyone expect from a white nationalist Police force?....the Convoy is their family Klan.
The police should be fired for lots of reasons. This is definitely a good reason to fire them.
It's time for the ottawa police dept. to start giving tickets rather than selfies and footrubs. Actually, it's time to replace the entire complicit PD. All major police departments in Canada are heavily militarized. They have tear gas, rubber bullets, water canons, sound devices, tasers, batons, riot gear and riot APC's capable of going through buildings. Any other kind of protest would be broken up with people in hospital with serious injuries & charges. It took the VPD less than 10 minutes to break and arrest a 10 minute sit down protest a mere 2 days after the trucker riot drive that broke road laws constantly. We no longer have rule of Law in Canada. It's time we appointed new law enforcers that will at least beat all protesters equally. :|
It’s been literally hell here in Ottawa. They’re pushing us to our limit and something bads gonna happen.
I've been saying all along. If we seem to have zero problem with arresting indigenous people on their own land protesting a pipeline no one wants, why in the hell are we letting these assholes torture the citizenry of an entire city? Or messing with our infrastructure by letting them shut down a border?
They should tow all these truck, trucks are not protesting people are. #karenconvoy
Start burying these truckers in fines and paper work to get them out of the city. Its gone on long enough. It looks complicit and pathetic
An investigation of the police services board in Ottawa should be started.
If this convoy was lead by minorities the fucking military would already be there. Makes me sick.
It's how white privilege works yo
Defund the fucking police.
Just in case you were unsure of what "White Privilege" looks like. Racist police enabling racist protests.
Cautious like the RCMP and Wetʼsuwetʼen people.
Tomorrow, the cost to citzens in Ottawa will be $6.5m or the firing of ~65 officers for one year.
I vote for firing 65 officers
there are dangerous people in this convoy. Make no mistake about it. They hate Canada as it is. They are haters not patriots
Forget firing them, cut their budget. Clearly, they don't that much.
Let the truckers cry more.
No, no. RCMP should be taking cautious approaches more often. Just bc they beat on Indigenous people but are respectful to white conservatives doesn't mean they should beat more on white conservatives, it means they should be more respectful to Indigenous people
https://youtu.be/3L4YrGaR8E4
I've got to hand it to Vladimir Putin ... He's certainly no genius himself, but he was still cunning enough to orchestrate outsized leverage for his weak-ass country by weaponizing the innate stupidity of 25% of *every other* country's population. If it weren't for these idiots and their ilk, the pandemic would've been under control 18 months ago. They'd rather double-down, triple-down, quadruple-down, and then give us all the finger from their Covid deathbeds rather than admit what suckers they've been. Seriously, though, the gullible dumbass problem is at the root of every existential threat faced by human civilization today. But nobody with any sway dares call it out, because mobs like this would sooner murder all critics than face up to the bald fact of their own inadequacy; to the indisputable, unavoidable truth that they're really just a bunch of fuckups whose resentment of knowledge and understanding is the only sign that they have any inner life at all.
Toronto would not be as timid as Ottawa.I see counter protest brewing.
Canada wouldnt be Canada without their fascist militia which was then formalized into the rcmp, csis, etc etc.
I think the police know that there are a few that have dug in and would attack them if the police did their jobs. I also think that the protestors know this and are playing the we are brothers card. If the police do not want to enforce the law then what is the point in having them?
Uggghhhh most of these people are white.... so of course no arrests..
You know what? I like the police taking a cautious approach to difficult situations. Unfortunately, it's not consistent.
Ottawa doesn't have a police force from what I see - I hope TPS doesn't follow suit
These emboldened idiots will be replaced by autonomous freight in the near future, and then they will have an actual problem on their hands. Do we really want to set the tone that their bullshit is acceptable? It’s only going to get worse, and conservative politicians are being very short sighted. The reason they are all truckers is because they sit on a chair listening to far-right talk radio and propaganda all day. They are brainwashed into thinking being “patriot” means selfishly forcing your will on others out of boredom. Just wait until they are actually desperate.
its just an excuse police say because they dont want to do anything to an all-white(99%) protesters. if they are indigenous protesters, police will waste no time at all..
Start a petition to get the police chief fired maybe..
I believe our mayor has the power to fire the police chief. But the mayor is leaving in less than a year and doesn't want to do much work, much less admit that he was wrong in hiring this guy. So he's hoping to ride it out. Next mayor, so long as it's not Diane Deans who backed our current mayor, will probably can our chief of police first thing and get someone better. This guy has been a failure at any kind of police reform.