‘For as long as it takes:’ Large police presence to remain in Ottawa as cleanup continues

Despite the removal of the majority of trucks and protesters from the streets of Ottawa, residents can expect to see a large police presence in the city for the foreseeable future, according to police officials.

Interim Police Chief Steve Bell says while the number of demonstrators has “dramatically declined” since they began operations to clear Parliament Hill on Friday, he would not commit to a timeline on when the protective fencing would be removed or when police measures would cease.

“This is not the normal state of our city,” said Bell during a Sunday afternoon update. “Despite the successes of the past few days we still require these measures to prevent unlawful protesters from returning.”

Bell added the next phase will look at how to maintain the streets, eventually demobilize, and identify that there are no further threats coming to the city.

“We aren’t there yet. We will over the next several days identify what the posture of the police services will look like, to see how we maintain a presence and make sure that nobody returns to occupy our streets again.”

“We promised earlier this week that we would clear our streets and give them back to our residents,” said Bell. “We promised that we would return our city to a state of normalcy. With every hour we are getting closer to that goal.”

About 100 police checkpoints remain to monitor and limit who can access the downtown core, and the parliamentary district is now largely fenced off with almost no access whatsoever.

Alexis Shotwell, a Centretown resident and Carleton University professor, said she was glad things appeared to be ending but was not comfortable with the huge numbers of police still on the streets.

“I’m not loving having this many checkpoints and this many police in the neighbourhood. It doesn’t actually make our neighbourhood feel safer,” she said. “It’s obviously been a horrific time for anyone who actually lives here.”

Jaya Dutta, who lives just off Parliament Hill, was so thankful for the more peaceful atmosphere that she went up to an officer at one checkpoint to thank him.

“Just to be able to walk around without being yelled at,” she said.

Dutta said she works just a few blocks from her home but had a friend drive her to work instead of walking for the last couple of weeks.

Police say since the operation began on Friday to clear downtown streets, 191 people have been arrested and 107 of them are facing almost 400 criminal charges including obstructing police, disobeying a court order, mischief, possessing a weapon, and – in one case – attempt to disarm a police officer.

“In one incident a protester attempted to disarm an officer of their taser,” said Bell. “Another officer quickly intervened and assisted that officer to ensure that the taser was retained.”

Chris Harkins, deputy commissioner with the Ontario Provincial Police, said commercial and private vehicle driver’s licenses have been suspended, while 76 vehicles have been seized and towed in Ottawa.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mike Duheme says law enforcement, federal partners and financial institutions have frozen 206 financial accounts, and proactively froze a payment processor’s account valued at $3.8 million.

RELATED: What you need to know about mischief charges and the Ottawa protests

Meanwhile, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said in a release Sunday it is probing an interaction between the Toronto Police Service mounted unit and a 49-year-old woman around 5:15 p.m. on Friday the 18th in the area of Rideau Street and Mackenzie Avenue.

Police on horses were brought in to help with crowd control on Friday evening. At one point officers charged at the crowd and a woman with a walker fell.

The SIU said the woman reported a serious injury, and family on social media have varyingly said she broke her clavicle or dislocated her shoulder.

The SIU first reported the incident happened on the Saturday, then clarified it was the Friday, the same day rumours circulated a woman was trampled to death.

The Ottawa Police said in a tweet Friday evening that nobody was killed or seriously injured after a slew of social media reports that someone had died.

We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We're unaware of any injuries. A bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured. pic.twitter.com/tgfsl6uxT7

— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022

The SIU is also investigating the use of Anti-Riot Weapon Enfields by officers from the Vancouver Police Department on Saturday evening. The weapon is described as firing “less lethal” munitions including direct impact batons, chemical irritant delivery munitions and smoke delivery munitions.

Bell confirmed the deployment of the ARWEN, saying officers attempting to erect a fence in the area of Bank Street and Queen Street encountered “major issues with a group of dispersed protesters.” He added that he was not aware of any injuries and any further details would have to come from the SIU.

Police meanwhile distributed notices under the Trespass to Property Act to protesters at their base camp on Coventry Road, which is located outside the secure downtown zone. Those failing to comply face being arrested and fines of up to $2,000.

This is currently being delivered to those remaining at 300 Coventry Road.

Cette lettre vient d'être livré à ceux qui sont encore au 300 Coventry Road. pic.twitter.com/qxPp6ej1SA

— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 20, 2022

Police say demonstrators were given until 4:30 p.m. Sunday to clear the site and at around 10 p.m. they announced the location “is now clear.”

“Twenty vehicles were towed and a police presence will remain in place to prevent anyone from returning,” said police.

Ottawa police are reassuring businesses in parts of the city’s downtown core that they should feel safe to reopen if they had closed during the weeks-long protests.

The force issued a tweet saying Rideau Street is now open at Sussex Drive but closed westbound at Dalhousie Street.

Police noted that supporting local businesses is considered lawful if residents are entering the secure area.

Metropolitain Brasserie Restaurant owner Sarah Chown said she was relieved to see police clear the intersection where her business is located.

She said she understands the need for barricades and fences to prevent demonstrators from reentering the area, but has reservations too.

“We’re now sort of stuck in this holding pattern,” she said. “Where do we go from here, and when are we going to be able to operate again?”

Robin Seguin, owner of Victoria Barber Shop located steps away from West Block, shared Chown’s views.

While Seguin said she is relieved to see demonstrators removed from downtown streets, she has questions about the next steps before she can make a full return to work and clients can feel comfortable coming to sit in her chair.

“How long are the barricades going to be up? How long is it going to be before things get back to normal?” she said.

On Tuesday, an Ottawa judge is set to decide whether to grant bail to one of the protest organizers, Tamara Lich.

Lich was charged with counselling to commit mischief in connection with the demonstrations in the capital.

She appeared in court on Saturday, and told Justice Julie Bourgeois she just wants to return to Alberta to be with her family, pledged a $5,000 bond, and promised to leave Ottawa by vehicle. Lich said she does not have the required vaccine passport to allow her to fly and her bank accounts are now frozen.

Patrick King, whose Facebook Live videos before the convoy began said violence and bullets were the only way to end the COVID-19 restrictions, is expected to appear at a bail hearing early next week after he was arrested by police on Friday.

A third protest organizer, Chris Barber, was released on a $100,000 bond Friday and conditions he leave Ontario by Wednesday and not publicly endorse the convoy or contact other protest organizers.

Tyson George Billings, known as “Freedom George” among convoy members, was arrested Saturday evening. The High Prairie, Alta., resident was shooting a Facebook Live video bragging about sneaking “past the roadblocks in his truck” and still being out of jail.

“I don’t know if they’re actually looking for me,” he said while others in the car yelled “freedom” repeatedly.

Seconds later, red and blue lights lit up behind his truck.

“Looks like they might have got me,” he said, pulling over.

He was arrested when he got out of the car, and police seized a six-inch blade he told them was his “legal knife.”

Billings faces five charges including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, and obstructing police.

In the House of Commons, meanwhile, debate on the government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act stretched into another day. A final vote on the measure is expected to proceed on Monday evening.