The Ottawa Police have threatened to arrest members of the media who are covering the Freedom Convoy arrests.
The threat comes one day after a vow from Interim Police Chief Steve Bell to crack down on the protest.
“All media who are attending the area, please keep a distance and stay out of police operations for your safety. Anyone found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest. There will be a media availability later today at 474 Elgin Street,” the department tweeted from their official account.
All media who are attending the area, please keep a distance and stay out of police operations for your safety. Anyone found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest. There will be a media availability later today at 474 Elgin Street. #ottnews
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 18, 2022
Speaking to the press on Thursday, Bell said, “do not come to our downtown court. We are tired of what’s been happening there. We’re sick of what’s happening in our streets so leave our area. We will continue with that message this weekend. What you’re seeing is an increased enforcement presence. And we won’t be allowing people to come down for the unlawful activities of engaging in demonstrations.”
“We won’t be allowing people to come down for the unlawful activity of engaging in demonstrations”. Never thought I’d hear these words in Canada. What a time to be alive. https://t.co/PwOrhgprnD
— Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) February 17, 2022
On Thursday evening, two key organizers of the convoy were arrested.
Tamara Lich, a spokesperson for the demonstration and organizer of the GoFundMe and GiveSendGo fundraisers, and organizer Chris Barber, were both arrested.
According to the Freedom Convoy Twitter account, Lich and Barber have been charged with “counseling to commit mischief.”
Barber has additionally been charged with “counseling to commit obstruction.”
Update on Chris Barber and Tamara Lich arrests.
Chris Barber has been charged with:
*counselling to commit mischief
*obstruction
*counselling to commit obstruction
Tamara Lich has been charged with:
*counselling to commit mischief
— FreedomConvoy2022 (@rFreedomConvoy) February 18, 2022
“We are going to take back the entirety of the downtown core and every occupied space,” Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell told the city council on Wednesday.
“It will be a very different picture of the downtown core this weekend than it has been from the previous three weekends,” Bell said. “We want people to peacefully leave. But I can tell you that if they do not peacefully leave, we have plans, strategies and tactics to be able to get them to leave.”
The convoy has been protesting against vaccine mandates for drivers traveling between the US and Canada.
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