Ottawa police say they've arrested 191 people and towed 57 vehicles as the operation to remove 'Freedom Convoy' demonstrators from the city's downtown core continues for a third day.
Officers are expanding the secure area and removing vehicles from streets. Ottawa police are urging residents in the area of Metcalfe and Bay and Albert and Gloucester Streets to remove any parked vehicles that remain.
"Police operation is on the way to remove all vehicles parked on these streets," police say.
The streets of downtown Ottawa are quiet, following two days of police operations to secure the streets around Parliament Hill and end the occupation that has forced roads and businesses to remain closed.
Twenty-four days after the "Freedom Convoy" arrived, officers have set up a secured area on Wellington and Sparks Streets and trucks have been removed from Kent Street, Metcalfe Street, O'Connor Street and the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.
Meanwhile, a staging ground for the protesters at RCGT Park is also coming down. Some of the remaining demonstrators could be seen Sunday morning taking down the tents and appeared to be preparing to leave.
A major police operation two weeks ago targeted the encampment at Coventry Road to seize stockpiles of fuel from demonstrators. Police said approximately 3,200 L were seized during the operation on Feb. 6. The camp, however, remained in place.
Ottawa's interim police chief says officers will continue to work through the days ahead to remove protesters from downtown streets and end the 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration.
"This demonstration is over, yet it hasn't finished yet," interim chief Steve Bell told CTV News Ottawa.
Police say several streets have been cleared of transport trucks, vehicles and demonstrators, including Wellington Street, the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Kent Street north of Queen Street. Roads that have been cleared remain closed.
"We will continue to work through the night, through the coming day and/or days until ultimately the streets are taken back, and that’s every pocket of it - the downtown core, Coventry or any other area where these demonstrators may have set up so that the citizens of Ottawa get their streets back," Bell said.
A police presence remains in downtown Ottawa Sunday. Fences have been erected "to ensure the ground gained back is not lost," police said in a tweet.
As of 12 p.m. Sunday, 191 people had been arrested since the operation began to clear the Parliamentary Precinct. Ottawa police say of those arrested, 103 people were charged.
"The main charges are mischief and obstruct," police said on Twitter. "Eighty-nine of them have been released with conditions that include a boundary they are not allowed to attend. The others have been released unconditionally."
Fifty-three vehicles were towed from downtown streets since Friday.
Ottawa paramedics say 21 people have been transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries from the secured area in downtown Ottawa since Friday.
"No fatalities were recorded," Ottawa Paramedic Chief Pierre Poirier said.
Ottawa police say the operation will continue until all the streets are cleared and reopened to residents.
"To downtown residents, we are focused on your safety. We are not going anywhere until you have your streets back," Bell said.
"We are aware of protesters leaving the Parliamentary Precinct moving to surrounding neighborhoods. We are working with our partners and we will remove these protesters peacefully from your area. This operation is still moving forward. It is not over and it will take more time until we have achieved our goals."
Sunday morning, police announced charges against a High Prairie, Alta. man, Tyson George Billings, who was arrested Saturday. The 44-year-old is facing charges of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to disobey a court order, obstructing police, and counselling to obstruct police. The charges are similar to those laid against other high-profile figures and organizers within the "Freedom Convoy" movement. Police said Billings is due in court Sunday.
INCREASED SECURITY REMAINS
Speaking on CTV's Question Period on Sunday, Mayor Jim Watson didn't say when secured checkpoints and the increased police presence would end.
"We'll continue to have increased enforcement in and around the residential areas," Watson said, noting police have promised not to leave until the city is "safely returned to the people of Ottawa."
"We want to make sure that it's like putting out a fire. You don't want to have that one last ember light up again. You need to have the force that we had through the different police services to ensure that this thing ends peacefully, as quickly as possible."
THE FUTURE OF WELLINGTON STREET
The three-week demonstration and occupation of Wellington Street renewed the debate about what to do with the street that runs under Parliament Hill.
Mayor Watson says discussions should be held to determine whether to prevent vehicles from accessing Wellington Street in the future.
"I think there's going to be on the short-term measures to prevent people from coming in and those people who shouldn't be on Wellington," Watson told CTV's Question Period.
"The longer term we have to look at that, whether we turn it into pedestrian and cycling. There's also the Gatineau Tram system that wants to come and use Wellington. So, there's a lot to take into account but there's going to have to be changes because you can't allow this to happen again."
Senator Vern White, the former Ottawa police chief, has said he is in favour of making Wellington Street a pedestrian mall. White has also said federal police should look after the Parliamentary Precinct.
SECURED AREA
Ottawa police have not said when the 100 checkpoints designed to limit traffic flow into the downtown core will be removed.
A 'secured area' has been set up from the Queensway to Wellington Street and Bronson Avenue to the Rideau Canal area.
Police say anyone who lives, works or are moving through the area for reasons other than to participate in the protest will be allowed to enter.
"You will be required to show proof of exemption for your travel to the Secured Area," police said.
ROAD CLOSURES
Multiple exits are closed along Hwy. 417 through the centre of Ottawa until further notice.
- The eastbound exits on the Queensway are closed at Rochester, Kent, Metcalfe and Nicholas.
- The westbound exits on Hwy. 417 are closed at Bronson, Metcalfe, Nicholas and Vanier Parkway.
O-TRAIN
There is no O-Train service downtown until further notice due to the police operations.
OC Transpo says the O-Train will not serve the following stations: Lees, uOttawa, Rideau, Parliament and Lyon.
The O-Train will operate from Tunney's Pasture Station to Pimisi Station in the west end, and from Blair Station to Hurdman Station in the east end.
CLOSURES
Here is a look at what's closed in the Ottawa area today due to the demonstration:
- Ottawa City Hall and the underground parking garage
- Rink of Dreams
- Ottawa Public Library Main and Rideau branches
- The Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the uOttawa Minto Sports Complex
- Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian War Museum and the National Gallery of Canada
- Rideau Centre
The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau is also closed.
Police say 191 arrested during operation to remove Ottawa convoy protest - CTV Edmonton
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