Ottawa police said more than 450 tickets have been issued in connection with the anti-mandate protests in the city since Saturday morning.
In a press release issued Sunday, the force said overnight “demonstrators exhibited extremely disruptive and unlawful behaviour, which presented risks to public safety and unacceptable distress for Ottawa residents.”
For over a week, hundreds of protesters have gathered in the city, disrupting traffic and setting up infrastructure in Confederation Park, as well as along Wellington Street across from Parliament Hill.
The demonstration started as a show of opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, but has since expanded to a more broad protest of the Justin Trudeau government.
Police said they are continuing to advise demonstrators not to enter Ottawa, and “to go home.”
The force said since the protests began, officers have responded to more than 650 calls for service, and have issued over 450 tickets since Saturday morning.
The tickets have been issued for multiple reasons, including, but not limited to:
- Excessive noise
- Use of fireworks
- Failure to drive in marked lanes
- Red light violations
- Driving through a no-truck route
- Seatbelt violations
- Driving a vehicle on a sidewalk
- Disobeying signs, improper muffler
- Failing to produce documents
- Stunt driving
- Driving with a suspended licence
- Driving without insurance
According to police, several vehicles have also been seized and towed, including a stolen truck and an abandoned vehicle found in a roadway.
Police say the force’s negotiators also “supported efforts to limit noise and the blowing of horns” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Ottawa police said 97 investigations into criminal offences have been opened in regards to the demonstration.
“Intelligence and evidence gathering teams continue to collect financial, digital, vehicle registration, driver identification, insurance status, and other related evidence that will be used in criminal prosecutions,” the release reads.
The force said it is also “actively working with Canadian, U.S., and international security agencies authorities” to “investigate email-based threats to public officials.”
Ottawa police said “all available” officers remain on active duty, and are “focusing on patrolling and addressing unlawful and threatening conduct in Centretown, Sandy Hill, Lowertown and the Byward Market.”
In a tweet later on Sunday, officers said anyone attempting to bring “material supports” such as gas t o the demonstrators “could be subject to arrest.”
“Enforcement is underway,” the tweet reads.
Later Sunday afternoon, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency.
In a brief release, the city says the decision reflects the “serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents” from protesters encamped through much of the downtown core.
In a statement Sunday, Ontario’s solicitor general Sylvia Jones said policing protests is a “responsibility carried out by local police services across Ontario, who have the resources and authority to ensure their communities remain safe.”
“Politicians at all levels cannot direct the police,” the statement reads. “To be clear: police services, including the Ottawa Police service, have full discretion and extensive demonstrations and take enforcement action, as appropriate, against and individuals committing crimes in their jurisdiction.”
She said the Ontario government, including the OPP, has provided “significant operational resources to Ottawa.”
“From the very beginning of this protest, more than 1500 officers from the Ontario Provincial Police, as well as officers from other municipal police services throughout the province and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have been on the ground.”
Jones said officials from the ministry have been in contact with officials in Ottawa throughout the protests.
“And both the Premier and I have regularly reiterated the province’s commitment to support them with any additional operational resources they may need,” the statement reads.
In a tweet Sunday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said while the province cannot “direct the police,” he said they have “provided the city of Ottawa everything they have asked for and will continue to provide whatever support they request.”
-With a file from The Canadian Press