Review of Ottawa police operations during 'Freedom Convoy' anniversary protests finds gaps in communications
CTV
A review of the Ottawa Police Service's (OPS) operations during a "Freedom Convoy" anniversary demonstration in February finds there are gaps in communications between commanding officers when handling major events.
A review of the Ottawa Police Service's (OPS) operations during a "Freedom Convoy" anniversary demonstration in February finds there are gaps in communications between commanding officers when handling major events.
The review centres on police protocols to the convoy anniversary protests, which coincided with a weekly pro-Palestinian demonstration in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 17, 2024.
Both demonstrations were attended by numbers exceeding 750 participants.
The review finds that the police's response during the demonstrations and marches by pro-Palestinian and convoy protesters was successful, but that problems arose in the evening during the handover from the major events coordinator assigned to the demonstration and the platoon officer assigned to day-to-day operations.
On the evening of Feb. 17, about 50 to 60 demonstrators associated with the "Freedom Convoy" protests remained in the downtown, with reports of people yelling and making excessive noise, as well as setting off fireworks or noisemakers.
The response of Ottawa police and bylaw officers came under fire by residents, with some pointing out a double standard after fines were handed to pro-Palestinian demonstrators for using megaphones during the same weekend, but claimed none were handed to convoy protesters that evening.
A back-and-forth in public statements in the following days revealed that bylaw officers were asked by Ottawa police to back away from the convoy-related demonstration for perceived safety issues.
