Protest convoy nearing Ottawa sparks concerns over possible extremist violence

trucker convoy digs in, setting up infrastructure and heavy machinery in what Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the Ottawa police chief are both now calling an “occupation” of the city.Tensions are only expected to rise on Saturday, with police estimates of up to 1,000 counterprotesters and thousands of additional convoy supporters making for what former Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau called a “volatile” mix.“There’s no question the dynamics around who’s involved and the different factions and different players that are in town present a real risk and potential for increased violence,” he told Global News.“I hope it ends in a peaceful resolution where nobody gets hurt. That’s everybody’s goal.”“But there are scenarios that may have to evolve where the police will have to escalate and use force to start arresting individuals and removing vehicles that are blocking the area,” Bordeleau added.“That is a scenario that presents some significant risks and consequences that people need to be able to really willingly accept.” Ottawa police vow ‘surge and contain’ response to trucker convoy ‘occupation’ All eyes are on Ottawa’s current police chief, Peter Sloly, as the demonstrations enter their ninth day.Ottawa police services board chair Diane Deans called a special meeting of the board for 4:30 p.m.

Ottawa Police launched a new strategy to protect the public, as pressure mounts to end protests. David Akin breaks down how the city’s police force plans to stop unlawful activity, ahead of a what could be a volatile and dangerous weekend.

suspended the fundraising effort, which had raised about 10 million Canadian (US $7.8 million), but said Friday it will refund or redirect to charities the vast majority of the money raised in support of those protesting COVID-19 measures in Ottawa.The company said in a statement they believed the intention of the Freedom Convoy fundraiser was to support a peaceful protest when it was first created, but said they now have "evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."Thousands of protesters railing against vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions descended on the capital last weekend, deliberately blocking traffic around Parliament Hill. Police estimate about 250 remained, but deputy police chief Steve Bell said they expected 300 to 400 more trucks this weekend and more than 1,000 protesters on foot.

Andrea Bordeaux is speaking out about her exit from Run the World.

COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures until all their demands are met.In the meantime, Ottawa and several other cities across Canada are working to try to ensure that escalating protests remain peaceful over the weekend.Police in Ottawa have said they are expecting as many as 400 more trucks and up to 2,000 people on foot to arrive this weekend to join the protest that has been rebranded by critics, including a lot of frustrated downtown residents, as an occupation.

GoFundMe announced Friday evening that it had removed the fundraiser set up for the trucker convoy that gathered in Ottawa starting last weekend, saying it now violated the company’s terms of service. It says people who donated will be refunded directly.

Thousands of demonstrators are expected to pile into the Canadian capital of Ottawa later as a week-long occupation of the city by truckers opposed to vaccine mandates is to ramp up, with other cities also braced for protests.

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said on Friday that police will be utilizing heavy barricades to create no-access roadways throughout the downtown core and further isolate the protest in front of Parliament Hill.

An Ottawa citizen has filed a lawsuit claiming up to $10 million in damages against the organizers of the trucker convoy that has parked itself in the city for over a week.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has made a significant shift over the past few days – going from saying COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted in late March, to much sooner.

Kenney commits to lifting COVID-19 restrictions as Alberta highway protests continue The comments contradict what the premier has said about the issue in the past.“We’ve said we’ll respect the decision of municipalities in that regard. We think these decisions are better taken locally,” Kenney said at a news conference on July 22, 2020.“Municipalities representing about 90 per cent of the population have already brought in various mask mandates based on their own various conditions.

wastewater surveillance from municipalities a little more as a potential alternative to track viral activity.Last March, the Ford government invested in just over a dozen research and academic institutions to create a surveillance network to test wastewater samples taken from communities across Ontario.“Together with clinical and public health data, wastewater monitoring can help local public health units identify potential COVID-19 outbreaks and enable more timely decisions about how and where to mobilize resources in response,” environment minister Jeff Yurek said after handing over $12 million in wastewater collecting initiatives. Toronto launches pilot project to collect COVID-19 data from wastewater Two years into the program, an estimated 75 per cent of Ontario’s population is now within the Ministry of the Environment’s (MOE) coverage area for the Wastewater Surveillance Initiative (WSI).In recent weeks, the director of the Ontario Science Advisory Table Dr.

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said on Friday that an additional 150 police officers will be deployed in the downtown area over the weekend for an anticipated trucker protest.

trucker convoy has now been removed from the platform.This news comes after the company previously stated it was suspended and under review after more than $10 million was raised.In a statement posted to the website, GoFundMe said it “supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created.“We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.” Trucker convoy GoFundMe suspended, ‘under review’ after raising over $10M The fundraiser, which listed Tamara Lich as an organizer and B.J. Dichter as a “team member,” was created to support the truckers that have travelled across Canada to Ottawa to participate in a protest against COVID-19 restrictions.The company said it works with local authorities to ensure it has an understanding of what is taking place in connection with any fundraiser.“Following a review of relevant facts and multiple discussions with local law enforcement and city officials, this fundraiser is now in violation of our Terms of Service (Term 8, which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment) and has been removed from the platform,” the company said.

COVID-19 pandemic, British Columbia’s premier has said he’s looking for ways to balance public protection with individual freedom.In a Friday press conference after a meeting of all Canadian premiers, John Horgan said he and other provincial and territorial leaders, discussed interprovincial travel rights as the Omicron variant continues to impact public health restrictions.“As we come to this place of moving in the next number of weeks to potentially endemic rather than pandemic, we need to reimagine the tools at our disposal as citizens and as provinces, and as a federal government is,” said Horgan.“How do we maximize our ability to protect people, which is our obligation, but also to ensure that their liberties are intact and they can make choices for themselves? It’s a fine balance and we’re all working together on how do we get there?” Canadian premiers push for boost in health-care funding from Ottawa In a news conference Friday, Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said that as Canada emerges from the “Omicron wave,” it’s important for governments to recognize that the virus isn’t going to disappear.“We need to be able to address the ongoing presence of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus in a more sustainable way,” she said.“The virus will continue to evolve so we need to also continue to evolve our measures, recognizing that further waves will occur.”Her comments come as two provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, have announced intentions to end most or all COVID-19 restrictions.

After watching what happened in Ottawa, health-care workers in Toronto now fear what could be in store as protesters plan to take to the streets near hospital row. Caryn Lieberman reports.

Canadian police forces are ramping up how they will respond to convoy protests across the country this weekend. Ottawa’s police chief laid out a plan on how he thinks officers can limit unlawful activities in parts of the capital.

Interactive: Inside COVID’s rehabilitation hospitals A recent preprint study _ one that has not been peer-reviewed _ suggested that mild Omicron infection doesn’t render enough immunity to prevent future infections, while infections from the Delta variant, which tended to be more severe, produced higher protection.Dr. Fahad Razak, an internist and member of the province’s science advisory table, said Ontario is not seeing “significant” numbers right now of people with more than one Omicron infection.But milder illnesses that give people congestion, cough, fever, and leave them feeling unwell but not so sick that they need to go to the hospital — like many Omicron infections — may leave people more susceptible to reinfection, he said.“The parts of your immune system that protect against those milder infections, they tend to wane much faster than the parts of your immune system that protect against the more severe infection,” Razak said.

Critical Infrastructure Defence Act is being applied differently to non-Indigenous protests than it is to Indigenous protests.In a statement, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation chief and council said if the Coutts protest was organized by Indigenous people, authorities would have responded quickly to remove it.“Over the past several days we have watched in dismay as the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., is allowed to continue without intervention from authorities.” Movement at Coutts border on 5th day of blockade, one lane open in each direction Demonstrators began parking their vehicles and blocked the highway between southern Alberta and the United States on Saturday in solidarity with similar events in Ottawa and countrywide — to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and broader public health measures.The tie-up stranded travellers and cross-border truckers for days, compromising millions of dollars in trade and impeding access to basic goods and medical services for area residents.Police tried to peacefully break up the demonstration Tuesday, only to see others breach a nearby police barricade and join the blockade.Chad Williamson, a lawyer representing truckers blocking access to the border crossing, said Wednesday afternoon they spoke with Mounties and agreed to open some blocked lanes.However, on Thursday, a second protest on Highway 4 about 20 kilometres north of Coutts choked off traffic, RCMP said. New blockade pops up as Coutts border protest enters 6th day The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said that at about 12 p.m.

pic.twitter.com/9G7DQsVMe0— Chris Nilan (@KnucklesNilan30) February 3, 2022He says he consulted his doctor and because of an unspecified medical condition he decided against vaccination.Nilan says a request for an exemption was refused, and on Tuesday he received a letter signed by a Bell Media executive informing him his contract was being terminated, which he called an “unfair action.” Vaccinated Canadians who catch COVID-19 can get booster 3 months after positive test: NACI Bell Media did not comment on the departure, but Nilan’s profile was erased from the TSN 690 website.Nilan, who had hosted “Off the Cuff” on the station for several years, played 688 games in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1992 with the Canadiens, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.

◾New cases in State: 14,950◾New cases in B'lore: 6,039◾Positivity rate in State: 10.93%◾Discharges: 40,599◾Active cases State: 1,23,098 (B'lore- 51k)◾Deaths:53 (B'lore- 15)◾Tests: 1,36,777#COVID19 #COVID

Canadians ought to be worried about whether crowdfunding websites could be used to finance hate groups and other extremist organizations, financial crime and security experts warn.

PHILADELPHIA - President Biden's visit to New York on Thursday was intended to heal and talk about gun violence and trafficking that has led to mayhem in the city.Officials say Philadelphia is obviously dealing with the same problems. Now the question remains whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is up to the work of cutting gun violence in the city.Simone Rodgers, 15, lost her life in a spray of gunfire in a city park last summer.Her grieving mother fears gun violence will strike again."My children are good kids. Everybody's are good kids.

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Boris Johnson has told Greater Manchester residents, who were banned from mixing with other households indoors for a heartbreaking 391 days, he is 'sorry for any misjudgements' in the wake of 'partygate'.

As protests drag on in Ottawa, disrupting the lives of the capital’s residents, pressure is mounting for law enforcement to step in. Though, as Eric Sorensen reports, there are growing concerns about the $10 million raised to support the demonstrations, where the money is coming from, and what it’s really being used for.

Candice Bergen says her goal as interim leader of Canada’s Official Opposition will be to strengthen the conservative movement and leave the next leader with a party that’s ready to win.The Conservative caucus elected the Manitoba MP and former deputy party leader on Wednesday to serve as interim head after a majority of MPs ousted Erin O’Toole from the top job. Conservatives elect Candice Bergen as interim party leader Bergen faces a caucus that has spent weeks divided and angry over O’Toole’s leadership since last year’s federal election loss.She also takes on the role at a time when anti-vaccine mandate protesters have jammed downtown Ottawa, honking into all hours of the night and forcing the closure of many businesses and services.Some Conservative MPs accused O’Toole of failing to take a clear stance on the protest, while Bergen has offered her full support to the group and dismissed reports of racism and harassment among the demonstrators as the actions of a small few.Bergen’s Tory colleagues greeted her with a standing ovation in the House of Commons Thursday as she made her debut as interim leader during question period, where she took aim at the Trudeau government for refusing to extend an “olive branch” to the demonstrators.“Can the prime minister please tell Canadians what role he thinks the government can play and what they can do to solve the impasse?” Bergen asked.The protesters have clogged the capital for nearly a week and say they won’t leave until vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions are abolished.

anti-COVID-19 restrictions protests in Ottawa, amid calls for a more aggressive response to the demonstrations.Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said in a statement Thursday night that RCMP had approved a request from the City of Ottawa for additional resources to help the Ottawa Police Service, including an increase in officers.“This request is in addition to RCMP resources and support already in place since the arrival of the convoy in Ottawa,” Mendicino said.A RCMP spokesperson could not confirm how many officers were being deployed or when they were expected to arrive. Canadian military ‘not a police force,’ Anand says amid frustration over Ottawa protest Protests against government mandates for COVID-19 vaccines and masks, as well as restrictions on certain businesses, have plagued the streets surrounding Parliament Hill for nearly a week.Organizers of the truck convoy have vowed not to leave until policymakers meet their demands to end public health mandates tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.At least four arrests have been made so far for uttering threats, mischief and weapons charges.Ottawa police said Thursday it has issued 30 tickets related to excessive noise created by truck horns as well as various traffic offences — marking a change in tactics after earlier refusing to pursue bylaw charges.

according to the Nova Scotia RCMP.Although police did not identify the accused in a news release, a court document identified him as Jeremy MacKenzie, who was in Ottawa for the so-called truckers’ protest against COVID-19 measures.The host of an anti-authority podcast and YouTube channel, MacKenzie is a Canadian military veteran who served in Afghanistan. The RCMP alleged in a search warrant application that he had post-traumatic stress disorder.The police investigation began on Jan.

Reuters.

wrote in a “Déjà Vu” statement.“While we always value alternate points of view, knowingly spreading disinformation during this global pandemic has deadly consequences. Until real action is taken to show that a concern for humanity must be balanced with commerce, we don’t want our music—or the music we made together—to be on the same platform.”Young started the trend when he pulled his solo catalog from the streaming service last week in protest of “fake information about vaccines” being spread on the popular “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Joni Michell, a contemporary of the 60s supergroup, followed suit on the heels of Young’s announcement and Nash joined the chorus of musicians requesting to flee the service on Tuesday, calling on Spotify to be “responsible and accountable” for its content.The band’s request applies to music the band released both with and without sometimes-member Young, as well as solo releases from Crosby and Stills, according to a press release.Crosby tweeted last month that removing his catalog might be difficult because he sold his recorded music and publishing rights. Music from CSNY, CSN and Crosby, Nash and Stills was still on Spotify as of Thursday night.Rogan, who has a $100 million deal with the streaming service, addressed accusations on Sunday that his show promoted unsanctioned COVID-19 treatments and claimed that vaccinations were harmful to some.“I’m not trying to promote misinformation.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Ontario on Thursday Keith Wilson, an attorney representing the trucker protesters in Ottawa, confirmed to the media that GoFundMe continues to hold the “bulk” of the money donated over recent days and weeks to the trucker protest movement as it conducts “heightened” diligence to determine where the money is going or what is is intended for.

Canadian military ‘not a police force,’ Anand says amid frustration over Ottawa protest “The FSIN Executive strongly opposes the actions and tactics of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protestors, some of whom have been openly sharing ignorant acts of cultural appropriation of First Nations culture and spirituality, publicly and online,” read the statement.“The FSIN condemns such open acts of racism and ignorance, which are being committed across our traditional Treaty territories.”FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron shared his frustration with the convoy.“Our First Nations communities have been some of the hardest hit since the beginning of the pandemic.  We have been working tirelessly to distribute PPE and supplies to our First Nations because we are highly vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Cameron.“Our families and communities have suffered insurmountable losses because of this horrible virus and our First Nations Chiefs have implemented some of the strictest protocols in the country to keep their membership safe.” Trudeau: Ottawa residents need their ‘lives back,’ won’t commit to negotiate with truckers He went on to call the way the drums were used in the protest videos that surfaced a ‘disgrace’.“This convoy is an insult to our Chiefs, our communities, and to the hundreds of loved ones we’ve lost through this pandemic.  Not only are these protestors risking lives and spreading false information, but they’re also disrespecting our traditional drums, pipes, and medicines,” stated Cameron.“It’s a disgrace to see our culturally sacred items being used improperly, without proper protocol, in support of anti-vaccine protests.”The FSIN statement finished with a reminder about Indigenous culture.“The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations

Protestors remain in the capital with demands for the federal government to lift COVID-19 health measures. The Prime Minister is holding firm and says the government will support the city and its police force.

COVID-19: Quebec health system remains ‘fragile,’ says public health director Bernard “Rambo” Gauthier, a well-known union leader from Quebec’s Côte-Nord region, posted a video to Facebook on Thursday morning, stating he was departing with about 50 vehicles toward the provincial capital and promising to stay there.“We’re doing this for the next generation — our kids — but also for ourselves,” Gauthier said in the video. “I’m tired of not being able to see my friends, go out for a beer with my friends, go out to the restaurant with my girlfriend — a normal life.

As disruptive protesters demanding an end to COVID-19 restrictions refuse to leave Ottawa, residents are questioning why the city’s police are not taking more action to clear them out. Abigail Bimman explains what’s causing police to hesitate and what options they are considering, as residents’ frustrations boil.

Truck convoy draws large crowd in London, Ont. on Thursday Organizers had originally expected between 250 to 300 vehicles to participate in the convoy, according to Horvat.Prior to the convoy’s arrival, Elgin County OPP had posted on their Twitter account that Culloden Road, Talbot Line, Rogers Road, Glencolin Line and Imperial Road/John Street would be impacted.Hundreds of trucks and cars just finished a slow roll convoy through my hometown Aylmer, Ontario.

Home Hardware in Strathroy, Ont., west of London, has been shared hundreds of times online after the message was changed to express support for the controversial trucker convoy.On Feb. 2, the sign read, “We support the truckers — end the mandates.” The message was changed the following day, returning to the typical signage announcing store deals or other shopping information.Global News has requested comment from the owner of the Strathroy location but had yet to hear back by publication time.

trucker protests following days of criticism that noise bylaws and the rules of the road were not being enforced.The OPS laid 30 traffic tickets while patrolling the Centretown, Sandy Hill, Glebe and the ByWard Market/Lowertown neighbourhoods on Wednesday, all areas surrounding the convoy’s footprint on Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill.The tickets fell as follows:Ottawa police say one driver was charged for driving while criminally prohibited and the vehicle was impounded for 45 days. A police spokesperson couldn’t immediately say what kind of vehicle this was when asked Thursday morning.

New Jersey drivers ended when one lost control, veered off the road and flipped over, shocking new video shows. The driver of a Honda Accord could be seen making aggressive maneuvers along Palisades Parkway in an attempt to pass a Ford F-150 Raptor that was in the far-left lane — traditionally the lane used for passing traffic.The video started with the Accord in the right lane of a two-lane section of the interstate, initially speeding up to pass the truck. It was quickly forced to brake, however, as it approached a third vehicle blocked its way. The car then slowed down and got behind the truck in the left lane and the two were seen tapping their brakes several times, the video showed.A screengrab from the dashcam video shows the crashed vehicle after going airborne along the New Jersey Palisades Parkway.

Coutts but moved their trucks over to the right side of the highway after an agreement on a partial pull back was reached earlier in the day. Movement at Coutts border on 5th day of blockade, one lane open in each direction But the expected stream of trucks heading toward the U.S.

NEW DELHI :

NEW YORK - President Joe Biden was expected to showcase federal, state, and local efforts to get guns and repeat shooters off the streets during his visit to New York City Thursday.Gun violence already on the rise during the pandemic is spiking anew, and beleaguered cities are struggling with how to manage it. Biden has been accused from the right of not being tough enough on crime.While in Lower Manhattan, Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland will meet with new Mayor Eric Adams, a former police captain.

trucker protest in the nation’s capital as officials brace for a resurgence in demonstrators in the downtown core this coming weekend.“We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that people are protected and to ensure that this protest, which is now becoming illegal, does come to an end,” Trudeau said in French in the House of Commons on Wednesday, when asked what the federal government is doing to remove truckers from downtown Ottawa as the demonstration stretches into its sixth day. Ottawa police make 3rd arrest in day 6 of trucker protest While the RCMP and Parliamentary Protective Service have offered resources to OPS in managing the demonstration — composed of both convoy truckers and their supporters seeking an end to COVID-19 public health mandates — Trudeau said he wouldn’t personally step in to ensure the demonstration ends.“One of the important issues with a situation like this is to respect our institutions, systems and laws … politicians are not the ones who order law enforcement agencies to take any particular action,” he said.“We are here to provide resources if law enforcement agencies request them but they are the ones who are doing the work on the ground and we want to see a peaceful resolution for this conflict.”Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said Wednesday in a briefing with city council that the prospect of asking for support from the military is not off the table.‘We’re looking at every single option, including military aid to civil power.

COVID-19 pandemic. Others are protesting the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, some showing support for the trucker convoy in Ottawa.

trucker convoy that has raised over $10 million to date.A warning that the fundraiser is “under review” has been posted to its page and donation buttons and a list of previous donors have been removed.“This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations,” GoFundMe’s warning reads.“Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors. Thank you for your patience.” Organizer of GoFundMe campaign for trucker convoy withdraws $1M, company confirms The fundraiser, which lists Tamara Lich as an organizer and B.J.

The mayor of the town caught in the crosshairs of the trucker convoy protest said he’s received threats and was even paid a visit by protesters at his home. Jim Willett speaks with Global’s Blake Lough Wednesday morning.

The death of Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, of Bridgeport caused by drugs and alcohol was ruled an accident, said the Connecticut Medical Examiner's Office. (Photo credit: GoFundMe- Justice for Lauren) Two police detectives in Connecticut's largest city have been suspended amid investigations into allegations of insensitivity in their handling of separate cases in which Black women were found dead in their apartments.In each of the two cases in Bridgeport, the families said police did not notify them of the deaths in a timely manner.The city's Democratic mayor, Joe Ganim, released a video statement Sunday saying he directed the Bridgeport Police Department's deputy chief to place the officers on administrative leave.