Tag: aggressive

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Democracy threatened if aggressive protesters make Canadians feel unsafe: Trudeau

Democracy threatened if aggressive protesters make Canadians feel unsafe: Trudeau

OTTAWA –


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the safety of Canadians participating in democracy should never be jeopardized by the kinds of racist insults and threats of violence lobbed at people attending a Liberal fundraiser in British Columbia on Tuesday.


Trudeau says all governments should be seized with the issue amid a rise in the presence of aggressive or hateful protesters appearing at political events.


Trudeau did not say why specifically he chose to appear at the Surrey, B.C., fundraiser virtually rather than in person but it is at least the second time in less than 10 months that he changed his plans in the presence of unruly protests.


Outside the event in Surrey, B.C., about four dozen protesters used expletives and reportedly also hurled racist slurs at attendees who were mostly South Asian.


One protester carried a noose attached to two flat sticks printed with the words “treason” and “Trudeau.”


An aggressive anti-Israel protester confronted Justice Minister David Lametti in Montreal today, forcing Lametti to temporarily leave his news conference.


Two weeks ago, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was harassed by protesters and aggressively chased into his car outside an provincial NDP campaign office in Peterborough, Ont.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2022.

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Councillors remain concerned over ‘Rolling Thunder’ following ‘aggressive’ Friday events

Councillors remain concerned over 'Rolling Thunder' following 'aggressive' Friday events

Despite a mostly peaceful Saturday motorcade, Ottawa city councillors remain concerned following an “aggressive crowd” that gathered downtown on day one of the event.

Despite a mostly peaceful Saturday motorcade, Ottawa city councillors remain concerned following an “aggressive crowd” that gathered downtown on day one of the event.

On Friday, April 29, the night that kicked off a march down Rideau Street, seven people were arrested and charged with various charges, including assaulting police.

Crowds and police were on edge as a large group of protesters gathered on Rideau Street at Sussex Drive, where several vehicles — including an 18-wheeler — had parked.

Eventually, police were able to de-escalate the situation before Saturday’s events commenced.

“Many of us were concerned last night with the escalation of the situation downtown but we wake up relieved to see the work done by authorities to intervene effectively and protect our local residents and businesses,” Vanier councillor Mathieu Fleury tweeted Saturday afternoon.

“There is lots of anxiety surrounding today and tomorrow,” he continued. “I have been in touch with authorities and community organizations all week long to ensure the safety of our neighbourhoods.”

Meanwhile, Kitchissippi councillor Jeff Leiper tweeted that all was quiet downtown in the neighbourhoods, which he and Somerset councillor explored Saturday afternoon.

Leiper had also walked Elgin Street during the bike rally and march on foot.

“The bikes have obeyed instructions after an incident-free rally on foot,” he tweeted. “They’re doing a second lap and I hope we’ll see them guided out by police soon. So far no sign of another attempt at occupation.”

While Mayor Jim Watson has retweeted messages from the Ottawa Police Service and by-law, he did not issue any comment or address the events via social media.

One, possibly two, people were arrested during Saturday’s events (Ottawa police were not clear if their reports involved one person, or two separate arrests). 

Counter protesters were also set up across the street from the National War Memorial, however, there was no confrontation between them and the “Rolling Thunder” participants.

– With files from CityNews Ottawa’s Alex Goudge