The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) said on January 26 that it had been targeted in a “disinformation campaign” by Freedom Convoy detractors and threatened with violence, an internal email revealed.
OPS chief at the time, Peter Sloly, wrote to his team that he had information from his organization’s corporate communications and the Ottawa Police Association (OPA). Truck driver demonstration. ”
The email was entered as evidence before an emergency committee against public order on October 24.
The commission is investigating the liberal government’s Feb. 14 invocation of the state of emergency law to clear cross-border protests and blockades calling for the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.
Aside from campaigns targeting police elements, Sloly also reported in emails threats made against OPS by detractors in Convoy.
“Male counter-demonstrators calling our communications center and threatening to attack our officers and facilities,” Slowly wrote.
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Sloly relayed this account as part of a series of points it raised internally in response to emails from Ottawa residents expressing concerns about the motorcade.
Resident e-mails sent to both Slory and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson claimed the motorcade was violent, but Slory said the information he received so far indicated that part of the motor vehicle was He said it did not indicate that there was violence.
“I was awake tonight after reading a Twitter post from this weekend’s extreme right-wing swearing-in attack on Rideau Hall,” said an email from the sender, whose names have been redacted.
Referring to the Jan. 6, 2021 event, the email added, “some are calling for actions similar to what happened in Washington at the Capitol.”
Based on that email, Slory asked his team to review all available information. was showing
The email was presented to OPS Deputy Chief Steve Bell, who was testifying before the committee. When Slory resigned on February 15, Bell became acting chief.
Information about the threat to Rideau Hall was evaluated by a joint intelligence group that includes the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency and the RCMP, Bell said.
“This was information that was captured, evaluated, evaluated, and used to assess threats, and ultimately could not stand to be accurate. There were no threats against Rideau Hall.”
Bell was in charge of OPS intelligence prior to Freedom Convoy’s arrival in Ottawa on 28 January.
While appearing before the committee, he defended OPS’s assessment that the protests would not extend beyond the first weekend.
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Noé Chartier is a reporter for the Epoch Times based in Montreal. Twitter: @NChartierET Gettr: @nchartieret