Amid campaign security concerns, RCMP says it’s up to leaders whether to attend events

It is ultimately up to federal party leaders whether to heed advice from their RCMP protective details about potential threats at campaign events, according to the police force.

In a statement to Global News, RCMP headquarters spokesperson Sgt. Caroline Duval said protective details are working with the leaders of all parties with official status in the House of Commons during the campaign: a threshold of 12 or more MPs elected under the party banner.

But the decision on which events to attend is not up to the force, she said.

“Throughout the election campaign, the RCMP will undertake threat and risk assessments on an ongoing basis to determine appropriate levels of protective services for the leaders and adapt its protective posture accordingly,” Duval said in an email, adding the force is monitoring all campaign events.

“The RCMP works with the Party Leaders to discuss threats or risks however the decision to attend an event will be determined by the Leader.”

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The confirmation comes after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said that the RCMP “have the final say” on the safety of campaign events and after he confirmed he was struck by gravel thrown by anti-vax protestors during an event in London, Ont., on Monday evening.

Trudeau was asked by a reporter whether he was following the advice of his protective detail following several incidents over the course of the last three weeks involving aggressive protestors.

“If the RCMP were to tell us not to do an event, we won’t do it,” he said.

“They have the final say,” Trudeau added, noting “the primary safety concern is for the people who come out: sympathizers, supporters, but also protesters.”

He added the situation is unlike that in the U.S. where it is virtually impossible to get physically near to the president because of the tight security detail and policies in place.

The ability of political leaders to walk down the streets without fear of being attacked, he said, is “precious” and something Canadians can be “proud” of, despite the recent incidents and the resulting questions on whether security should be tightened around political leaders.

“Canadians need to know that their leaders, that their country is standing firm to not let that happen,” he said. “Yes, we need to adjust. We need to make sure we’re keeping people safe, but we need to not accept that further distancing between people and the people who want to represent them is inevitable or desirable.”

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Trudeau also spoke out against the protesters, who threw gravel and small rocks at him as well as the accompanying journalists covering the campaign during a stop in southern Ontario on Monday.

Many of the protesters in London appeared angry about COVID-19 health measures and vaccination requirements, and yelled slurs and insults at Trudeau.

No one was injured .

Police in London confirmed on Tuesday evening they are investigating the incident.

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Amarnath Amarasingam, who studies extremism at Queen’s University, said he worries about the potential for violence amid what appears to be spillover from the divisive politics in the U.S.

“Nobody seems to believe anything anymore, whether it’s the media, public health officials, politicians, academics,” he said. “Everything is a question, there are no facts.”

He added the situation likely poses a challenge for law enforcement because not all of the people engaging in the aggressive political protests seen during the campaign are part of groups that police have traditionally focused on.

While some are simply angry, they may also be more likely to come into contact with terrorist groups like the Proud Boys and other far-right extremist networks through things like conspiracy theories and misinformation online — and that’s where things could become more dangerous, he said.

“I would say law enforcement does need to keep an eye on some of the chatter and some of the group dynamics –some of the coalescing that’s happening between these organizations and movements,” he said.

“But I also wouldn’t want the expansion of law enforcement powers to everyday people who are simply, like most of us, upset and kind of exhausted with what’s going on with the pandemic over the last year.”

With files from Global’s Ahmar Khan.

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