Police raid on Ottawa protest camp is strongest show of enforcement yet

In its most obvious display of enforcement against the anti-pandemic rule demonstrationthat arrived in Ottawa 10days ago, dozens of heavily armed police officers descended Sunday night on the baseball stadium parking lot that's been serving as astaging area for the protesters in the downtown core.

Police removed vehicles and at least one tanker of fuel that was stored at theCoventry Road lot. Ottawa policelater announced they had arrested two people at the site, with otherarrests elsewhere that day linked to protest activity.

About 10 protesters in reflective vests stood firm in front of fuel supplies that were stored towardthe southern end of the lot.

Snipers stood guard on the roof of the stadium and hotelon either side of the parking lotas police moved through the camp.

Protesters yelled"Shame, shame" and "On the wrong side of history" at the officers. As police moved in to act, one protester was heard saying"This can't end well." Therehave been no reports of injuries.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson told CBC Radio's Ottawa MorningMonday that the tanker that was removed held about 3,500 litres of fuel.

Camp still stocking supplies

There is still believed to be more fuel and other supplies such as foodstored at the parking lot, which volunteers have been shuttlingto the protesters jamming the so-called "red zone" around Parliament Hill.

Ottawa police said Sunday they would be stopping these deliveries. Protesters say they plan to continueto bring cans of fuel downtown.

Beyond the "F--k Trudeau" flags and the reports of journalists being harassed, convoy organizers are promoting a "memorandum of understanding" calling on the Senate and the Governor General, in collaboration with a committee of citizens, to issue edicts to federal, provincial and municipal governments to repeal all vaccine-related restrictions. If the Senate and governor general decline to go along with that plan, the memo says, they're expected to resign.

They're no longer taking fuel to protesters inConfederation Park across from city hall, which police said has been cleared and fenced off. A wooden pop-up restaurant was moved from the parkto the Coventry lot earlier Sunday.

Emergency council meetingtoday

Police have conceded, in retrospect, allowing trucks to park at the city-owned RCGT Park east of downtown was a key error in what they call an unprecedentedprotest.

When they offered the lot to thedemonstrators more than a week ago, theidea was to get the trucks out ofdowntown. But protesterssoon organized themselves into a supply camp, complete with large tents for food andrecently, the addition of three working saunas.

The dramatic police raid will surely be one of many issues discussed at the emergency council meeting set for 1 p.m. ET Monday to address, according to the agenda,the "impact of the truck convoy demonstration of the city's residents and businesses."

• Downtown closures extended as police arrest 7, issue dozens of tickets
• No end in sight to Ottawa protests, not enough resources, says police chief

A number of councillorshave been vocal in their criticism that the police need to be shown to be enforcing the lawand Sunday night's clear show of power will likely be well-received.

Council is also likely to address other measures that a number of councillors have been calling for, whether it's to request help from the military which the prime minister has said the country has to be "very, very cautious" with to asking for the RCMP to take over policing on Wellington Street, even though the roadway is the city's responsibility.

The police received approval from the Ottawa Police Services Board at an emergency meetingSaturday to swear in 257RCMPofficers as special constables. It's not clear how many RCMPofficers have joined the local ranks so far.

WATCH | Ottawa's mayor on the number of police available:

Ottawa seeks more police amid state of emergency

3 years ago

Duration 4:52

Ottawa police are stepping up pressure on convoy protesters, seizing fuel and making arrests, says Mayor Jim Watson, but the city has also requested more police from the OPP and the RCMP.

Mayor Watsonis also expected to discuss his reasons for declaring a state of emergency on Sunday, characterizing these demonstrations as "the most serious emergency our city has ever faced."

While the city's state of emergency gives the municipality few sweeping powers it mostly makes it easier and faster for the municipality to buy supplies, including tow trucks a provincial declaration of an emergency brings with it more powers.

• Emergency meeting set to bring answers on usage of police resources
• NDP calls for emergency debate as Ottawa protest stretches on

Under the Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protections Act, the province can, among other things, limit the movement of people within the city.

For example, it could stop people who cannot prove they live or work in the "red zone" from walking in and out of the area.