Impasse in Ottawa as protesters settle in, police are strained and politicians search for solutions

An ongoing protest in Ottawa has reached an uneasy impasse this weekend, as demonstrators become entrenched in the city's downtown core, police say they do not have the resources to remove them and a political solution remains elusive.

More than a week into a demonstration that started as a protest against a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers and evolved into one against all public health measures, protesters have set up temporary structures in Ottawa's downtown core to distribute food and continue to carry fuel to the protest site.

Politicians have increasingly denounced the protest, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and others calling it an "occupation" and the head of the Ottawa Police Services Board referring to it as an "insurrection."

Ford said on Sunday that his government was supporting Ottawa in whatever way it could.

Ottawa police, already bolstered by officers from other forces, say they do not have the resources to address the situation or remove the protesters.

"We do not have sufficient resources to adequately and effectively address this situation while adequately and effectively providing policing in this city," Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly told an emergency meeting of the police services board on Saturday.

Local, provincial and federal politicians have condemned the protesters' actions and called for a solution. But what that solution might be remains unclear.

"This group is emboldened by the lack of enforcement by every level of government," said Diane Deans, a city councillor and chair of the police services board.

"We're giving a signal to everyone coming into town that it's a free-for-all," Coun. Carol Anne Meehan said.

More than 650 calls have been made to police since the start of the protest, resulting in 97 criminal investigations, police said Sunday. The force said earlier in the week it had opened 11 investigations related to hate crimes and four people have been charged.

Some protest organizers have indicated that they are willing to make some concessions on the noise level. In a discussion over an injunction relating to horn use on Saturday, Keith Wilson, a lawyer representing organizers, said the convoy might be willing to stop horn use overnight from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

On Sunday morning, the Freedom Convoy group, which organized the core protest, released a statement saying protesters would refrain from honking horns until 1 p.m., "as a gesture of goodwill."

The group is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit spearheaded by Ottawa human rights lawyer Paul Champ, who on Saturday posted a video statement saying truckers could be excluded from the lawsuit if they leave the city by Monday morning.

Organizers for the protest have said they intend to stay in the city until the federal governments lifts all restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, even though most of those restrictions were introduced by the provinces.