Trucker Protest: Day 24 — ‘Businesses should feel safe to reopen’, police say; 191 arrested

The “Freedom Convoy” that converged in Ottawa on Jan. 28 began in response to the federal government’s move to require Canadian truck drivers crossing the U.S. border be fully vaccinated to avoid testing and quarantine requirements, but evolved into a protest against all public health measures aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers said they would not end their protest until all measures are dropped. Police have since moved in on the protest and have begun clearing downtown streets. 

READ OUR UPDATING COVERAGE OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE TRUCKER PROTEST IN DOWNTOWN OTTAWA FROM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022.

8:30 p.m.

In a Facebook Live post Sunday afternoon, convoy organizers James and Sandra Bauder said they were arrested in Ottawa and their RV has been impounded.

“We were arrested today,” said Sandra Bauder in the post on the Canada Unity Facebook page. “We were picked up, arrested, charged with obstruction of justice and obstruction of something else and mischief …”

James Bauder is head of Canada Unity, an obscure group campaigning against vaccine mandates that gained more widespread attention and traction when it became a key promoter of the trucker convoy demonstration in Ottawa.

Canada Unity had been seeking signatures for a “memorandum of understanding” that called for Canada’s elected government to end all “vaccine passport requirements, vaccine discriminatory regulations and initiative’s et-all” or resign and be replaced by a committee composed of the Senate, the Governor General and James and Sandra Bauder, who would represent the people of Canada.

Canada Unity issued a statement on Feb. 8 saying it was withdrawing its memo because it had come to their attention that “it does not reflect the spirit and intent of the Freedom Convoy Movement 2022.”

In the video posted Sunday, Sandra Bauder said that after being arrested she and her husband had to “sign an order saying we wouldn’t go back into the red zone in order to be let out.”

She said she signed it “under duress” and “pursuant to my rights to habeas corpus, and under Indigenous law. So we’ll see how that goes.”

In the video, James Bauder asked demonstrators to leave downtown immediately. “Just leave. Peacefully leave Ottawa … we don’t want violence. We don’t want people to get hurt.”

Sandra Bauder said the whole world is watching.

“The police were brutal last night,” she said in an apparent reference to the removal of protesters from downtown streets. “We all know that yesterday what happened was horrific, a complete violation of our civil rights.”

Both Sandra and James said the fight will continue, however. “We’re not done,” said James. “We will take this internationally, folks, and that’s how we’re going to win.”

Said Sandra: “They can’t lock down Ottawa. They can’t keep it a red zone forever.”

A post on the Facebook page later in the day said James and Sandra were seeking “discrete, confidential accommodations for six to eight people” near Ottawa.

“We have no vehicle (impounded for 7 days), no credit cards (bank account seized).

We will monitor messages and see what God can provide,” said that post, which was followed by another saying they had secured rooms for their team.

7:45 p.m.

In a media release Sunday evening, the city said full O-Train Line 1 service will resume Monday morning, from Tunney’s Pasture to Blair stations. But all bus routes with service downtown remain on detour.

6:45 p.m.

Police late Sunday afternoon shut down what remained of the logistics camp that Ottawa occupiers had built on Coventry Road after police, during the protest’s early days, directed them there.

At least two arrests were made and tow trucks moved in to remove vehicles.

The parking lot is owned by the City of Ottawa but leased to the Ottawa Titans Baseball Club. The leaseholder did not agree to police directing protesters to the parking lot, in an effort to relieve the congestion of downtown Ottawa due to the arrival of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” more than three weeks ago.

The Coventry Road camp grew to include parking for roughly 100 cars, pickup trucks and vans at any given time, plus RVs and big rigs. Across from the parking lot were several large tents for meetings and barbecue meals, a trailer with heated toilets, and two saunas.

Since the multi-force police action to clear Ottawa’s downtown began Friday, the Coventry Road camp began to shrink in size, and by Saturday night, some live streams and reports from the camp suggested that protesters there would leave and regroup elsewhere outside of Ottawa.

A fundraising email sent Saturday said some families of protesters were being “sheltered” at a farm in Kinburn, 40 kilometres west of Ottawa. “Freedom Convoy” vehicles also massed at White Lake Road, between the Mountain Creek Golf Club, another 20 kilometres west. A farm in Embrun to the east of Ottawa also reportedly hosts protesters.

Steve Bell, interim chief of the Ottawa Police Service, said at a Sunday afternoon press conference: “We are trying to keep tabs on those that are leaving and potentially massing to come back.”

Ottawa police, the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police were gathering intelligence on protesters who had left Ottawa “to make sure that these illegal activities don’t return to our streets.”

6:10 p.m.

Rideau Street is now open at Sussex Drive but closed westbound at Dalhousie Street, Ottawa police said. Mackenzie Avenue southbound, Sussex Drive northbound and Colonel By Drive were open to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

“Businesses should feel safe to reopen if they had closed during this unlawful assembly,” Ottawa police said.

“Businesses and residents, we thank you for your patience throughout this operation. Supporting local businesses is considered lawful if you are entering the secured area.

“A strong police presence will remain in the coming days.”

5:55 p.m.

A small demonstration was underway at the intersection of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Booth Street, Ottawa police said.

A traffic camera showed protesters waving Canadian flags on both sides of the parkway and on the median.

“Children are present next to fast-moving traffic and measures are underway to ensure the safety of everyone present,” police said, asking people to avoid the area.

5 p.m.

A police operation was underway to clear the Coventry Road encampment, Ottawa police said.

After several warnings to the protestors occupying the site to vacate, a deadline was given to clear the area by 4:30 p.m., police said.

Earlier in the afternoon, police said that officers were delivering a trespass notice to protesters remaining at 300 Coventry Road. The “Freedom Convoy ” set up the encampment in the parking lot of RCGT Park near the Vanier Parkway.

4:15 p.m.

Interim police Chief Steve Bell acknowledged at a media briefing Sunday that the service has some work to do to regain the trust of people living in Ottawa.

“They woke up this morning to fencing and a very heavy police presence through the downtown core. While I know everyone is pleased to see many of the unlawful protesters are gone, this is not the normal state of our city,” Bell said.

“We know as a police service we have public trust to gain back.”

Bell said police measures still need to be taken to prevent unlawful protesters from returning, though the number of demonstrators declined “significantly” over the past 24 hours.

The service will “over the next several days identify what the posture of the police services look like to see how we maintain a presence and make sure that nobody returns to occupy our streets again.”

Bell reported that four people entered a secure area Sunday morning and were arrested.

In another incident this weekend, a protester tried to disarm an officer of their taser, Bell said, and another officer intervened to stop them.

So far, more than 70 vehicles have been seized and towed from the protest area, including 36 passenger vehicles, 12 from Ontario and 24 from out of province.

He said the minister of transport has taken action against 36 commercial motor vehicles as well, 13 from Ontario and 23 from out of province.

There have been 206 bank accounts and corporate accounts frozen, 253 bitcoin addresses shared with virtual currency exchangers, and the proactive freezing of a payment processing account worth $3.8 million by a financial institution, police said Sunday.

3:45 p.m.

Police said that they were delivering a trespass notice to protesters remaining at 300 Coventry Road. The “Freedom Convoy ” set up an encampment in the parking lot of RCGT Park near the Vanier Parkway.

The notice says they are prohibited from entering the property and from activities including setting up tents, parking vehicles, cooking and having fires, and from bringing portable toilets.

Failure to comply could lead to arrest and fines upon conviction of up to $2,000, according to the notice issued by city police as agent for the City of Ottawa.

The city councillor for the area and the community association have called for action to clear the encampment.

In an update, Ottawa police said that the list of streets cleared now included Wellington, Bay, Kent, Lyon, Queen and Metcalfe, police said.

The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway had also been cleared and “will reopen shortly.”

Seventy-nine vehicles had been towed. A total of 191 people had been arrested with 389 charges laid.

3:15 p.m.

Ottawa police said that no foot traffic was allowed north of Sparks Street between Elgin and Bay streets except for Parliamentary employees.

A bail hearing for Tyson George Billings, 44, was adjourned to Tuesday.

Police said Sunday that the High Prairie, Alta. man was charged with mischief, obstructing police and with counselling to commit the offences of mischief, disobeying a court order and obstructing police.

A protester who referred to himself as Tyson George Billings and “Freedom George” was arrested during a Facebook live stream Saturday evening.

2:45 p.m.

As of Sunday, the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa said that it had not yet had to intervene with children or youth linked to the demonstration.

“As the situation continues to unfold, we will consider all information received from the police and from the public to determine the best response,” CASO said in an email.

“We remain in constant communication with police to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in the area, and continue to be prepared to assist any child or youth brought to a designated place of safety.”

Ottawa police reported on social media Saturday that officers were seeing young children being brought to the front of the police operation, putting the youngsters at risk.

2 p.m.

A line of police formed at Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue early Sunday afternoon where one protester was arrested. Afterwards, about 10 protesters sang O’Canada nearby.

The streets surrounding Parliament Hill had been largely quiet Sunday as police officers and police vehicles remained out in force, including armoured vehicles, along with ambulances. Ottawa police were joined by officers from forces including the Ontario Provincial Police and the RCMP.

Vehicles continued to be towed away Sunday afternoon. City workers collected garbage.

Meanwhile, snow plows had returned to streets including Wellington Street and the north end of Bank Street that had been jammed with vehicles and protesters.

The “secure area” covered by police checkpoints announced by Ottawa police under the federal Emergencies Act Thursday is from Bronson Avenue to the Rideau Canal and from the Queensway to Parliament Hill.

12:35 p.m.

Ottawa police said that “we respect the oversight process and will always fully cooperate” in confirming news that the province’s civilian police watchdog was investigating two incidents in the capital, including one involving a Toronto Police Service officer on horseback.

Vehicles seized as police shut down the “Freedom Convoy” could be sold to help cover the cost, Mayor Jim Watson suggested in weekend interviews with CBC and CTV.

“We actually have the ability to confiscate those vehicles and sell them,” Watson told CBC on Saturday, adding the city has that power under the Emergencies Act invoked by the federal government.

“And I want to see them sold. I don’t want the return to these people who’ve been causing such frustration and angst in our community.”

Noon

Of the 191 people arrested, 103 were charged, Ottawa police said. The main charges they face include mischief and obstructing police.

Eighty-nine have been released with conditions that include a boundary within which they are not allowed to go while the others were released unconditionally, police said.

11:24 a.m.

SIU Ontario, the province’s police watchdog, said Sunday it is investigating “two police-involved incidents” that occurred during the day’s police action against protesters Saturday.

The first incident involved a Toronto Police Service officer on a horse and a 49-year-old woman on Rideau Street and MacKenzie Avenue around 5:14 p.m., the Special Investigations Unit said.

An SIU release states the woman has reported a serious injury.

Reports circulated online via social media Saturday that someone had died or been injured after being “trampled” by a police horse.

At one point, officers on horseback were brought in to lower the tension in the crowd and to create separation between protesters and police, OPS interim chief Steve Bell said during a media briefing Saturday.

Bell said two protesters collided with the horses, then got back up on their feet and continue to protest.Reports protesters were killed by police horses was a good example of misinformation, he said.

It is unclear if the incident of the collision and the incident under investigation by SIU are related.

SIU said in the second incident later in the evening, Vancouver Police Department officers discharged Anti-Riot Weapon Enfields (also known as ARWEN 37 “less-lethal firearms”) at individuals near Sparks Street and Bank Street.

The watchdog said no injuries have been reported related to that incident and asked anyone who may have been struck by a projectile to contact the unit.

The SIU is charged with investigating police conduct in Ontario when it may have resulted in death, serious injury and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

Six investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to these two cases.

10:45 a.m.

The Ottawa Police service said 191 people have been arrested as of Sunday morning and 57 vehicles towed.

Kent Street and Bay Street are also now both “mostly clear of vehicles,” police said.

Police have warned residents who may have snow-covered cars parked on the street between Metcalfe and Bay and Albert and Gloucester to move them as operations are underway to remove all vehicles parked on those streets.

10:42 a.m.

By Sunday morning, some convoy supporters had apparently fallen back from Ottawa to nearby rural settings.

A fundraising email sent Saturday from an anti-pandemic measures group sought support for “families (that) are being sheltered” at a farm in Kinburn, roughly 40 kilometres west of Ottawa.

The town of Arnprior Saturday issued a statement to counter an announcement sent to protesters through their own channels that there would be parking available for them at the Arnprior Municipal Airport.

Insideottawavalley.com reported Saturday that at least a dozen “Freedom Convoy” vehicles, most of which were half-ton trucks, were at White Lake Road, between the Mountain Creek Golf Club and the base of White Lake Mountain.

10:30 a.m

The Ottawa Police arrested a 44-year-old protester from Alberta Saturday in connection with the demonstration downtown.

In a release Sunday, the service said Tyson George Billings of High Prairie has been charged with mischief and obstructing police, along with other related charges.

Billings is expected to appear in court Sunday.

A protester who referred to themself as Tyson George Billings and “Freedom George” was arrested during a Facebook live stream Saturday evening.

Billings continued to yell “Freedom!” while getting arrested, with others chiming in in response.

Police also reminded people Sunday morning not to attempt to enter the secured area, which borders Bronson Avenue and the Rideau Canal and the Queensway to Parliament Hill, unless they are excluded from the barricade on people entering.

10 a.m.

The convoy’s presence at its Coventry Road encampment had shrunk by Sunday morning, said an observer who did not want to be identified.

While the logistics camp’s tents were still up, many of the vehicles in the adjacent parking lot, including some RVs, were gone, said the observer.

The Canadian flag that had flown on a crane over the camp had been taken down, the observer said, adding that police had not visited the camp before the apparent departures.

9 a.m.

Ottawa police said Sunday morning they are maintaining a presence downtown after clearing several areas, including portions of Wellington Street, of protesters and trucks Saturday.

In a tweet, the Ottawa Police Service said fences are being used “to ensure the ground gained back is not lost.”

And in another Twitter post, the OPS reminded demonstrators: “If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges.”

For those whose vehicles have been impounded, they will remain that way for seven days.

The police action Saturday prompted a call on social media from convoy organizers for the remaining truckers near Parliament Hill to move their vehicles. “The use of more force will only be used to punish people, and not preserve or establish order,” read a Facebook post on the Freedom Convoy 2022 group.

Some truckers left on their own, while other vehicles parked on Wellington were towed.

As of early Saturday evening, police arrested 170 people and towed a total of 53 vehicles, as well as seizing 22 licence plates.

Also Saturday, convoy co-organizer Tamara Lich was in court for a bail hearing that was adjourned after several hours as Justice Julie Bourgeois said she wanted to take the time necessary to render a decision, which is expected Tuesday.

Lich, president of the Freedom Convoy 2022 organization, was charged with counselling to commit mischief in connection with the protests that have snarled Ottawa for more than three weeks. She had been arrested Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, co-organizer Pat King — who live-streamed his arrest Friday — is slated to be in court early next week.

Another “Freedom Convoy” organizer, Chris Barber, was granted bail Friday night on conditions that he leave town within 24 hours and go home and never support the protest again.

Barber, who owns a trucking company, agreed with the bail conditions that he can no longer support the protest verbally, on TV or online. Barber, who employs four other truck drivers, put up a $100,000 bond to secure his bail.

His conditions require him to live at home until his case winds through the criminal justice system.

VIEW OUR PHOTO GALLERY OF DOWNTOWN OTTAWA ON FEB. 20, 2022

-With files from Peter Hum, Megan Gillis and The Canadian Press

READ MORE COVERAGE OF THE ANTI-VACCINE MANDATE PROTEST IN DOWNTOWN OTTAWA