Ottawa police arrest seven people and open 60 criminal investigations into ‘Freedom Convoy’

Police in Ottawa arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations into ‘Freedom Convoy’ for hate crimes and mischief as they seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles Sunday just hours after the mayor declared a state of emergency over ‘totally out of control’ protests in Canada’s capital city. 

On Monday, a Canadian court granted a 10-day injunction against the truckers ordering them to stop honking their horns. The class action brought on behalf of Ottawa’s inner city residents claims that blasting air horns and train horns ‘incessently’ was a key tactic of the protesters, ‘to cause serious discomfort and inconvenience’.   

Ottawa’s mayor Jim Watson declared the state of emergency on Sunday as the cross-border truckers continued to converge in the capital city where they blocked streets, shot off fireworks and blared horns, in protest to rules requiring them be fully vaccinated to enter either Canada or the United States. 

‘The situation at this point is completely out of control,’ Mayor Watson said on Sunday. ‘The individuals with the protest are calling the shots. They have far more people than we have police officers.’  

Ottawa Police Service said in a statement Sunday it had launched over 60 criminal investigations in relation to the ongoing protests, including thefts, hate crimes and property damage. Seven people had been arrested by 9 p.m. Sunday, police said. 

Police said they are investigating a number of hate crimes reported at the protests. Some urinated and parked on the National War Memorial. One danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A number carried signs and flags with swastikas.

The anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic acts reported last week prompted police to establish hotline, which has gotten more than 200 calls, according to police.

Police said protesters have ‘exhibited extremely disruptive and unlawful behavior,’ which has created ‘risks to public safety and unacceptable distress’ for residents.

‘Multiple vehicles and fuel have been seized,’ police said in the statement, adding they had issued a warning to the public that they could be subject to charges if they were found to be supplying demonstration trucks in the red zone with fuel. 

Police also relocated some protesters and put up fresh barricades, stating they are ‘collecting financial, digital, vehicle registration … and other evidence that will be used in criminal prosecutions.’ 

For the second weekend in a row, protesters shot off fireworks, drivers blared their horns and streets remained blocked, as Mayor Watson admitted Sunday that authorities were ‘outnumbered’ and ‘losing this battle’ against groups who were ‘calling the shots.’ 

A hearing into a proposed class-action lawsuit seeking an injunction to silence the constant honking by truckers will take place on Monday.    

Police said a well-organized supply chain – including portable saunas, a community kitchen and bouncy castles for children – has sustained the protesters. It has relied partly on funding from sympathizers in the United States.

Crowdfunding site GoFundMe has been accused of bowing to left-wing political pressure by freezing a fundraising account holding $8million in donations for the Freedom Convoy.  

After the site said it would refund or redirect to charities the vast majority of the millions raised by demonstrators protesting in the Canadian capital, prominent U.S. Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis complained. 

But GoFundMe had already changed its mind and said it would be issuing refunds to all.

The site said it cut off funding for the organizers because it had determined the effort violated the site’s terms of service due to unlawful activity. 

Last week, Facebook removed a page used to organize a convoy to Washington DC ‘for repeatedly violating our policies around QAnon,’ Meta, the social media platform’s parent company, told Fox News.   

Organizers of the Freedom Convoy protests have since turned to a Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo where more than $4.4 million has been raised in just two days.  

The movement started as a protest against Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

Downtown Ottawa, home to Canada’s parliament, central bank, and buildings including Trudeau’s office, has been largely in lockdown after truckers occupied the streets. 

On Sunday, Mayor Watson said declaring a state of emergency highlighted the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government.

It gives the city some additional powers around procurement and how it delivers services, which could help purchase equipment required by frontline workers and first responders. 

‘Declaring a state of emergency reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government,’ the mayor said in a statement. 

Despite the urgency of the declaration, it actually gives little to no extra powers to the mayor – he is unable to move the truckers or get the army in to control the situation.   

However, a state of emergency declaration should alert those with more power in government, such as Justin Trudeau to the serious danger of the situation. 

Trudeau, who has been in isolation since January 24 when his daughter tested positive for Covid but has since tested positive himself, has been in hiding at an unknown location for several days. 

He hasn’t publicly spoken out about the truckers since February 2, when he thanked the ‘nearly 90 per cent’ of truckers who have received their Covid vaccine. It is unclear whether he will do anything to help Ottawa regain control of the Freedom Convoy that is blocking their downtown.  

Last week, Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the RCMP had approved Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s request for Mounties to support city police. 

But negotiations with Mounties already in place at the international Alberta blockade have broken down into assaults on officers. 

Sympathetic protesters crossed police barricades to join truckers, assaulted officers and even caused a car crash while trying to ram into the Mounties, according to Global News. 

The state of emergency announcement came as the city’s Police Services Board Chairwoman Diane Deans said the situation had spiraled into ‘a nationwide insurrection’ with protests spreading from Ottawa to Toronto and Quebec city this weekend. 

In footage shot by The4KGuy, Wellington Street outside the Canadian parliament is seen to be completely blocked with trucks lining the length of the street. 

During an emergency meeting of the Ottawa Police Services board on Saturday, Chief Peter Sloly said ‘we need an additional surge of resources’, after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ruled out deploying troops to the streets. 

Meanwhile, an Ottawa resident unable to sleep from the constant honking of horns by Freedom Convoy truckers  is suing the protest’s organizers.

Zexi Li filed a $9.8million lawsuit in Ontario Superior Court on Friday, seeking damages for ’emotional and mental distress’, citing ongoing headaches, sleeping difficulties, difficulty concentrating and interference with quiet enjoyment of her home. 

‘The Class Members are living in daily torment caused by the incessant blasting of truck horns,’ reads the statement of claim. 

On Saturday, thousands turned out to support the Freedom Convoy with around 7,000 protesters and 1,000 vehicles coming out onto on the streets of the nation’s capital. Ottawa police said there were about 500 vehicles in the city’s ‘red zone’ on Sunday.   

Police said they had charged four people with hate crimes and were investigating threats against public figures jointly with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The prime minister has said the convoy represented a ‘small fringe minority’ and the government would not be intimidated. About 90 percent of Canada’s cross-border truckers and almost 79 percent of the population has had two COVID-19 vaccine shots. 

A senior member of the Liberal government said the ease with which the convoy shut down the area around the parliament and the seeming impotence of police was a ‘national humiliation’. 

The ‘freedom truck convoy’ has attracted support from many U.S. Republicans including former President Donald Trump, who called Prime Minister Trudeau a ‘far left lunatic’ who has ‘destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates.’

‘Canada US relations used to be mainly about solving technical issues. Today Canada is unfortunately experiencing radical US politicians involving themselves in Canadian domestic issues. Trump and his followers are a threat not just to the US but to all democracies,’ Bruce Heyman, a former U.S. ambassador under President Barack Obama, tweeted.

Heyman said ‘under no circumstances should any group in the USA fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop.’

Smaller demonstrations with truckers also took place in other major Canadian cities on Saturday including Toronto, Emondton, Vancouver, Victoria and Quebec City. 

In Vancouver, five people were arrested Saturday for allegedly adding to the general havoc as police received reports of ‘rocks and eggs being thrown, cars being kicked, and nails being strewn on roadways,’ police said. 

Five people were arrested and later released from custody.

‘Everyone has the right to peacefully assemble and express their views, and the Vancouver Police Department is committed to providing a safe environment for lawful protest,’ said police Sgt. Steve Addison. 

‘Today’s protests attracted thousands of people who feel passionately about their causes. While most protesters were peaceful, some had to be arrested for violent behavior and unlawful conduct.’ 

In Canada’s largest city, Toronto, thousands were on the streets on Saturday. Several trucks were seen blocking a major intersection for hours despite the presence of police.  

In Quebec City, on Saturday, thousands of protesters together with hundreds of trucks jammed up the streets. 

After crowdfunding site GoFundMe said it would refund or redirect to charities the vast majority of the millions raised by demonstrators protesting in the Canadian capital, prominent U.S. Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis complained.

But GoFundMe had already changed its mind and said it would be issuing refunds to all. 

The site said it cut off funding for the organizers because it had determined the effort violated the site´s terms of service due to unlawful activity.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called it ‘an occupation’ with protesters appearing to settle in for the long haul. 

Barbecues, fire pits and stockpiles of food together with toilet paper and fuel have all be amassed.   

Banners hang in the street with messages including ‘Freedom over Fear,’ ‘Media is the virus’ and ‘F*** Trudeau.’  

‘For some senior American politicians, patriotism means renting a mob to put a G-7 capital under siege,’ tweeted Gerald Butts, a former senior adviser to Trudeau. 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon tweeted: ‘Patriotic Texans donated to Canadian truckers’ worthy cause.’ and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on Fox News ‘government doesn’t have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates.’

Cruz got into a twitter spat with Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart at the start of the weekend.

‘As the Mayor of a city with an over 95 per cent vaccination rate, my message to the convoy is this: Vancouver doesn’t want you here. Make your point and then go home.’ 

Cruz immediately jumped into the fray. 

‘Mayor says ‘Vancouver doesn’t want’ truck drivers there. Folks might feel differently with empty shelves.’ Cruz wrote on Friday.

The mayor fired back on Sunday: 

‘Can someone tell Ted Cruz our store shelves are fine thanks to the 90% of Canadian truckers who are fully vaccinated,’ Kennedy wrote.

 ‘Too busy high-fiving all the awesome folks in Vancouver that are helping push back against the #hateconvoy.’  

Earlier on Sunday, Cruz demanded that the Federal Trade Commission open an investigation into GoFundMe. 

Appearing on Fox News on Sunday he revealed he sent a letter to the FTC urging the agency to probe the fundraising website for potential ‘deceptive trade practices’ and accused the website of ‘theft.’ 

He also accused the site of removing the page because it didn’t line up with Silicon Valley ‘politics.’ 

GoFundMe removed the fundraising page for the Freedom Convoy on Friday and gave donors two weeks to ask for a refund.

A statement released that evening explained: ‘GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created. We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.’ 

After swift backlash for trying to redistribute the funds, the charity site updated users on Twitter that all donors to the convoy would automatically receive refunds.

‘Listen, it is theft on the part of GoFundMe. Let me say — the Canadian truckers are heroes. They are patriots marching for your freedom and for my freedom,’ Cruz told Fox host Maria Bartiromo.

‘Those truck drivers that — God blessed them — they’re defending Canada, but they are defending America as well.’ 

Cruz praised the truckers for ‘standing up’ to the dismay of ‘big government.’ 

‘That is courage on display, that the government doesn’t have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates. And they’re standing up for freedom, and of course, big government hates it and is trying to crush them,’ he said. 

‘The corporate media hates it and is trying to silence them, and big tech — look at what GoFundMe did, people gave $10 million to support the Freedom Convoy because they were so proud of the courage of these truck drivers, and the thieves in Silicon Valley decided ‘We don’t like your politics, so A, We will take your money and  then B, we’re going to give it to people we like’,’ Cruz alleged.

‘Listen, if anyone else did that, that is called theft. And so today I sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking that the FTC open an investigation into GoFundMe, into whether they have committed deceptive trade practices because when people gave money, they gave money under the promise it would go to the Freedom Convoy, not to whatever left-wing political ideology GoFundMe and other Silicon Valley companies support.’

He added: ‘They are deceiving consumers and it is wrong.’  

In Canada’s largest city, Toronto, police controlled and later ended a much smaller protest by setting up road blocks and preventing any trucks or cars from getting near the provincial legislature. Police also moved in to clear a key intersection in the city.

Many Canadians have been outraged over the crude behavior of the demonstrators. Some protesters set fireworks off on the grounds of the National War Memorial late Friday. 

A number have carried signs and flags with swastikas last weekend and compared vaccine mandates to fascism.

Protesters have said they won’t leave until all mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are gone. 

They are also calling for the removal of Trudeau’s government, though it is responsible for few of the measures, most of which were put in place by provincial governments.