Councillor Rawlson King provided an additional statement on the ongoing demonstration to Rideau-Rockcliffe residents.
The Ottawa Police Service has begun enforcement operations to end the unlawful occupation of our downtown core and encampments at the Ottawa Baseball Stadium.
The operations will target the aggressive and illegal behaviour by those illegally occupying the City.
Together with the OPP and the RCMP, the Ottawa Police Service this week established of an enhanced, integrated command centre in response to a significant influx of demonstrators into the Ottawa area and escalation of the current occupation.
Expect to observe a significantly enhanced ability of the Police Service to respond to the current situation in our City. Operations started on Thursday and will continue in a coordinated fashion over this Family Day weekend. Integrated response will allow the Police Service to make the most effective use of the additional resources which policing partners have provided.
On Thursday evening, a roadblock was established at Coventry Road and Vanier Parkway. Within the downtown core, over 100 roadblock enclosures were established to contain the protestors and to create the conditions for removal of protestors and their vehicles.
During my tenure as a previous member of Police Services Board, I worked tirelessly over the past three weeks to marshal additional resources necessary with my former Police Service Board colleagues to encourage police action, along with asking questions about inadequate police response.
While under the Police Service Act, I could not direct police operations, I undertook maximal oversight with my colleagues when serving on Police Services Board and I will continue to encourage our Police Service to restore order.
We will continue to monitor and encourage action at the Baseball Stadium, provide intelligence to the Police Service, and offer support to both community members and businesses in the Overbrook area during this on-going crisis.
I want you to know that I completely stand with all residents of Ottawa. We want these protesters gone. We want our City back. While I no longer sit on Police Services Board, I want you know that that restoration of law and order and public safety is my continuing number one priority. All law-abiding citizens in our City clearly deserve to live in a peace. We will not give up until we regain our City. We are pleased that police action is being undertaken at this time.
