Ottawa will not allow participants in the Rolling Thunderbiker convoy to access designated areas of the city by car this weekend. The Citizens Freedom Group wrote to the mayor that this measure was unconstitutional.
“We intend to enforce the’Exclusion Zone of Vehicles’to be a serious unjustified and illegal restriction on the freedom of speech, association and peaceful assembly of Canadians guaranteed under the Charter. Is written to warn the city, “writes lawyer Hatim Kiel. Japan Legal Support Center (JCCF) for Constitutional Freedom.
Opened April 29 letter To Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Kiel said the JCCF welcomed the enforcement of regular city ordinances, but said there was no legal basis for vehicles to block the area.
“A” Exclusion Zone “is an enforcement and police exercise not established by the Articles of Incorporation or other legislation. Therefore, it is not “legally stipulated” as required in Section 1 of the Charter and therefore cannot be justified. “
The JCCF said it could take legal action if the city did not respect freedom of assembly.
The Epoch Times asked the city of Ottawa for comment, but could not respond by the issue time.
Citizen liberty advocates have been engaged in many things lately Proceedings Challenged the limits of COVID-19, the lawyer assisted the organizers of the Freedom Convoy protest this winter.
The open letter was also sent to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), the Ontario Police (OPP), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Rolling Thunder
Watson regained public confidence in the city and its police by managing the Rolling Thunder event after feeling abandoned at a press conference on April 28 when the free convoy protest in Ottawa was settled this winter. Said I wanted to.
Exclusion zones prevent vehicle-based protests from approaching the Capitol or blocking parts of downtown center. Vehicles not attending the event can be accessed through the police barricade.
hundreds With the additional support of four-wheeled vehicles, many motorcycles are expected to participate and will roll along planned routes that are not allowed to stop or park. This will happen on Saturday.
Rolling Thunder organizer Neil Scheard says the goal of his event is to pay homage to veterans by “driving and saluteing” the National War Memorial. Not allowed on planned routes.
Another group planning an event this weekend will hold a ceremony at the Memorial on Saturday morning.
Veterans 4 Freedom to regain the monument after authorities said they had built a fence around it during the Freedom Convoy protest and blasphemed the monument by beating the veterans during a police liquidation operation. I planned “OP DIGNITY”.
The third group, Freedom Fighters Canada, is planning an event at the Capitol on Friday and Saturday.
Aggressive stance
The city and OPS are taking a proactive stance to minimize confusion and prevent illegal activity.
OPS I wrote on Twitter Friday afternoon, “I’m aware of several convoys heading to the Ottawa area. Please note that the convoy will be detoured and will not be able to stop or stay on the roads in the area.”
Hundreds of RCMP and OPP police officers also support OPS.
“People do have the right to protest peacefully, and I would like to emphasize that illegal activity is not allowed. We are strengthening enforcement and serious to those who violate the law. It will bring great results, “Watson said on April 28.
In addition to vehicle exclusion zones, OPS message Online communication is monitored and the organizer is “responsible for pre-event, during-event and post-event actions”.
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Noé Charter is a Montreal-based Epoch Times reporter.