I hate it that I see people actually support these damn rioters. I would’ve been fine with them (though I don’t believe in their cause) if it was simply a protest. Occupying capital hill? Sure, that’s okay. A group of natives did that a few years ago and I supported that.
But disrupting the peace, especially when all the MPs went home and was comfortably sleeping half a city away while the locals were desperately covering their ears at four in the morning? That’s not protesting, that’s borderline domestic terrorism.
It was an occupation, not a protest. Protests target the powerful and in charge. Occupations target the weak and vulnerable. And only one of those groups were anywhere close to the truckers past the usual 9-5.
I left Ottawa right before this happened and it’s the only thing I regret about leaving. I would’ve loved to buy those guys a few jerry cans for their trucks. With plenty of added sugar, of course!
Ottawa sees protests all the time. This wasn’t a protest, it was an occupation.
The suit is not about peaceful protest. It does not impact anyone’s Section 2 rights.
The suit is about harassment, intimidation, torture, air pollution, racism, sexism, intolerance, shutting down businesses and putting people out of work for weeks, and other criminal activities that are not protected by Section 2.
No one gave a fuck about these idiots and their tantrum until they started committing crimes.
They fucked around and they are now finding out. That’s what they always say, isn’t it?
They came to Ottawa to commit their crimes they should be tried in Ottawa. Want to be tried in Upper Rubber Boot, Alberskatchetoba? Commit your crimes there.
There’s still very low understanding of how devastating and threatening the convoy protests were for the residents and businesses in the core of Ottawa.
Residents, businesses and people who work downtown in Ottawa roll with protests day-in and out. Large ones usually are usually respectful of the legal limits, and local people know how to plan their days to avoid them if they need to.
This protest damaged hearing with unremitting high decibel air horns, polluted the air with weeks of nonstop truck emissions, actively harassed, intimidated and threatened local residents trying to get to work and essential services, filled the streets with garbage and feces.
They also created significant fire hazards and risked major explosions, including by creating a large stash of gasoline in tanks in Confederation Park - directly across the street from city hall, an armoury, and close to a high school as well as right across the narrow Rideau canal from National Defence headquarters.
But it was the utter lack of consideration for the most vulnerable that truly showed the incredible selfishness and lack of compassion of the protesters.
There are many lower income, disabled and senior residents in coop apartments downtown. Many rely on visiting services from care workers who could not get through the protests on most days. A small proportion had family and friends who were able to host them outside the area of the protests, most were trapped, isolated and terrorized.
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