Residents felt abandoned by police and government amid 'occupation' of the city's downtown by people protesting COVID measures and the federal government, says report
OTTAWA — The Ottawa People’s Commission says last winter’s weeks-long “Freedom Convoy” protest was a “colossal” violation of residents’ rights.
The commission, which was run out of the Centretown Community Health Centre in downtown Ottawa, released the first part of its final report today on the demonstration’s impacts.
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Commissioners heard from more than 200 residents, many of whom alleged that they experienced violence, harassment and assault at the hands of protestors.
The report says that amid an “occupation” of the city’s downtown by people who were protesting COVID-19 measures and the federal government, residents felt abandoned by police and government.
It says that people with disabilities were left without access to help as support agencies scaled back their operations, and that many residents felt like “prisoners” in their own homes.
The second part of the report will be released in March, along with recommendations from the commissioners.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.