RCMP boost security after Greenpeace breach

The Mountiessay theyimmediately boosted their presence on Parliament Hillafter 19 Greenpeace protesters climbed onto the roof of the West Block in December and unfurled banners calling for action on climate change.

"We have enhanced our presence, significantly enhanced since the event," RCMP Staff Sgt Marc Richer said Thursday.

As towhether Public Works was to blame for the incident, he replied, "You know you don't go around assigning blame."

Workwas being done on West Block and in a statement Thursday,a spokesperson for Public Works said all its construction sites are secured according to industry standards.

Since the incident of Dec. 7, Public Works implemented additional security measures, includingfencing secured with heavy duty chain and bolted to the ground. The departmentupgradedinterior hoarding and hardware and secured accesspoints to the scaffolding with doors and locks.

The RCMPtookmore than two months to completean administrative review of the security breach.

In a news release Thursday, the RCMP said they became aware of the Greenpeace activists only after the protesters were onthe roofs of the West Block and Centre Block buildings atabout 7:10 a.m. on Dec. 7.

This conflicts withwhat a House of Commons bus driver told CBC News the morning of the protest. The man saidhe had noticed a group of people wearing blue overalls, white helmets and climbing gear before they scaled the walls.The driversaid he reported what he had seen to the RCMP.

The Mounties said the 19 protestersgot intoa restricted construction zone by slicing through nylon tie-wraps on a fence before climbing onto scaffolding as a first step in reaching the roofs.

"This group used well-planned tactics to defeat the security systems and the strategies in place on Parliament Hill at that time," an RCMP spokesperson said in an email sent to CBC News onThursday.

Once they learned of the breach, the Mounties say they took immediate action.

CBC News has learned that only two Mounties were on duty that morning, despite the force having funding for more than 30 officers to look after security on Parliament Hill.

Richer declined to say how many officers were working that morning.

The local Ottawa police force tactical team and fire department removed the climbers, some of whom had rappelled down the side of the buildings. Twenty people were arrested and charged with mischief as well as unlawful assembly.

The Mounties said they have already improved security on Parliament Hill to prevent a similar breach in the future although for security reasons, they say they can't elaborate on what steps have been taken.