Earlier in the morning, a crowd gathered at the National War Memorial near Parliament Hill. A man was arrested on Elgin Street, Ottawa police confirmed via Twitter. The agency later confirmed that another man had been arrested for violating his terms of release, which included not being in the heart of the city center. A man was arrested in the downtown area for violating his terms of release, which included not being in downtown Ottawa. No further information available at this time. https://t.co/2swPqIC087 – @ OttawaPolice
Saturday’s events come after police announced that a crowd gathered on Rideau Street on Friday night had become aggressive. Hundreds of motorcycles crossed downtown Ottawa on Saturday. (David Fraser / CBC)
Officers were deployed with helmets and shields to help control the crowd. Seven people were arrested on various charges, including assaulting police. Some of these arrests were also made in violation of commitments, police confirmed on Saturday morning. This weekend ‘s events are organized by many people who took part in the weekly squatting of the city streets during the self-proclaimed Freedom Escort earlier this year. “I’m here for the veterans,” said Sonny, a Canadian-flagged protester at the National War Memorial. “It’s a rally, not a protest. “We will leave immediately afterwards. We give honor and respect to this country.” The program issued by the organizers includes an afternoon rally on the hill of Parliament. While many orders for masks and other health restrictions for COVID-19 have been lifted, some in attendance have focused on those who remain, including the need to vaccinate many federal staff and those on air travel. “I still can’t get on a plane. So I still can’t travel, which is worrying because it’s a free country,” said David Paisley, who has been promoting the weekend via YouTube.
This is the route that the Rolling Thunder Ottawa motorcycle rally is expected to follow on Saturday, according to the Ottawa police. (CBC)
While the police shared the expected route for hundreds of motorcyclists driving downtown on Saturday, they also set up a car-free zone from Thursday afternoon. Pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and other vehicles may enter the safe area, but not motor vehicles involved in the Rolling Thunder event. Officers are watching as motorcyclists pass by demonstrators who cheer during the Rolling Thunder demonstration, a knight -type demonstration in Ottawa on Saturday. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press)
Special no-parking zones are also being set up in nearby neighborhoods. A protest also gathered at the National War Memorial earlier on Saturday. “We came here to inform the world that this is a margin. They do not represent all veterans, our nation or anything else,” said Clayton Goodwin, a protester and veteran. “This is a monument to Canada, not to veterans. It should not be politicized. You tore down fences and politicized it.” On Saturday morning, the Ottawa City Service branch posted on Twitter that it had issued 417 tickets and towed 30 vehicles. Police have also towed three vehicles so far, a total of 33. Police also wrote on Twitter that a vehicle removed by law enforcement officers on Friday attempted to enter Ottawa on Saturday but was stopped, inspected and shut down. As of 7 a.m. yesterday, officers have issued 417 tickets and towed 30 vehicles in connection with the Special No-Stop Zones for the motorcycle event this weekend.
Three tickets have been issued for noise and smoking violations. pic.twitter.com/fw10d5qDJ3 – @ OttawaBylaw
Three tickets were also issued for noise and smoking violations. Ahead of the weekend, organizers said they would leave the church in the Vanier district of Ottawa after Sunday morning, according to police. Police are now pushing people out of the way down Elgin on the sidewalk, as you call from people returning to the grave. The arrest was made as it was being made pic.twitter.com/4PKU8ZIz4N – @ DCFraser