Canadian minister Marco Mendicino assured Ottawans late on Tuesday that things will return to normal as Ottawa police forces strengthened with the arrival of the RCMP will work together to restore order amid the Freedom Convoy protests.
Mendicino highlighted that after Trudeau imposed the Emergencies Act earlier last week the authorities can now establish “no-go” zones in the city’s downtown core which will help in stopping protesters from moving around Ottawa and break their organisation. “The protests are by a very small organised group that is driven by an ideology to overthrow the government,” the minister was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
He said that people who will defy order around the no-go zone will face fines or jail time or both, broadcast news agency CBC News reported. Under these no-go zones, the authorities can erect concrete barriers and persuade private tow truck companies to help remove the big rigs that have blocked Ottawa. Under the emergency power, the Trudeau-led government earlier froze crowdfunding and crypto-based support directed towards the Freedom Convoy protesters.
Mendocino’s comments come hours after Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly tendered a sudden resignation citing the Ottawa local police’s inability to quell the demonstrations. He outlined that the federal government did not push the former Ottawa police chief out of his job. While some have outlined his inability to contain the protests, few also highlighted that he did not receive adequate support from the federal government.
The former Ottawa police chief earlier requested 1,800 additional forces to contain the protests but did not receive any such support with even prime minister Trudeau responding by saying that Sloly had enough material and manpower to quell the protests, according to reports by Canadian news agencies.
The truckers, however, refused to relent and said that they will dig in their heels and stay put. Truckers speaking to news agency AFP said that they do not intend to leave. “Truckers are not going anywhere,” a protester told the news agency.
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