Coping with Malevolently Crazed Protesters

"BLRS follows a progressive enforcement model and takes every opportunity to educate individuals on Ottawa's bylaws before the event, and work toward a resolution during the event."

"It's important to note that enforcement during demonstrations is a result of escalated actions by the participants, which may pose nuisance and public safety issues. Since the beginning of the protests, BLRS has been working with organizers to educate them on the city's bylaws."

"As the activities of protesters escalated and became more frequent, including the defacement of property, the use of sound reproduction devices, smoke bombs, fireworks and threats toward our officers, BLRS took action to address these concerns."

"Initially, warnings were issued to individuals regarding the operation of these sound production devices on highways or public places. However, when the activity persisted, fines of $490 were issued."

Roger Chapman, director, Bylaw and Regulatory Services

 

"[Palestinian protesters] have the right to scream. Silencing Palestinian solidarity when genocide is happening is wrong."

"[When the 2022 convoy protest gridlocked downtown Ottawa for three weeks], we talked to the truckers like people. We let them organize."

Ottawa Centre NDP MPP Joel Harden 

Protesters gathered in downtown Ottawa for the 12th straight week of pro-Palestine rallies. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA

The truckers' strike lasted three weeks before policing authorities stepped in to close it down, and lodge formal charges against the organizers when the federal government executed a general emergency state which enabled them to lock protest participants' bank accounts, harass them with lawsuits, while the prime minister called these loyal Canadians 'racists' and scum. These wild and menacing demonstrations by those celebrating the October 7 atrocities in Israel have gone on for 12 weeks, with little-to-no comment from the federal government.

Rather than interfere with the 'free speech' entitlements of Muslim Canadians, authorities look the other way when shouts of 'intifada' and 'from the river to the sea' are chanted, both of which represent a call to the destruction of Israel. Marchers shouting that Canadian Jews, resident in Canada for hundreds of years, unlike those who decry their presence, urging them to 'go back to Europe', and others shouting 'gas the Jews' certainly are exercising their rights that appear to contradict laws against hate speech.

So the City of Ottawa really 'cracked down' on these riotous scum, issuing nine noise-violation tickets for those seen to be disobeying city noise bylaws. Among them a Member of Provincial Parliament using a megaphone in front of the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument. Criminal charges were laid in a few instances when downtown streets were blocked during the Truck Convoy protest. However, no criminal charges were pressed against masked pro-Hamas protesters who issued threats and engaged in violence.

 

Saturday’s edition of the pro-Palestine rally started at the Human Rights Monument before taking to downtown streets. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

 

The Palestinian Youth Movement has been a major organizer of the protests, prepared to support those receiving bylaw tickets. The rally organizers characterize the bylaw tickets as a "clear attempt to suppress pro-Palestinian organizing and support". But they would say that while cheering on vandalism at synagogues and Jewish social centres. According to the noise bylaw, "no person shall operate or  use of cause to be operated or used any sound reproduction device on any highway or other public place".

Regional executive vice-president for the national capital region for the Public Service Alliance of Canada -- one of Canada's largest unions, most of which have taken the political position to support the 'Palestinian cause' -- declared his solidarity with 'pro-Palestinian  protesters; the issuance of tickets represented at attack on their right to protest. "They want to silence and stop our movement. We cannot let this go on", said Alex Silas, recipient of one of the tickets.

While gathered at the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights, protesters banged drums, waved signs and Palestinian flags and chanted "Free free Palestine" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free". What they mean is free to commit bloodbaths on Jewish communities in Israel, and the destruction of the Jewish state, so that the fictional 'Palestine' can occupy all the geography it claims to be theirs, as squatters on Judaean Ancestral land.

This weekend’s pro-Palestinian rally started at the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa before taking to the downtown streets. A woman was questioned after being told to bring her drone down on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia