Ottawa mayor says police “fully prepared” for possible Canada Day convoy protests

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In the shadow of the truckers’ protests and “Rolling Thunder” event earlier this year, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said on Monday that the city is prepared for any possible protests on Canada Day in the nation’s capital.

“I want to assure everyone the RCMP, Ottawa Police, Police de Gatineau, and the Parliamentary Protective Service are fully prepared to respond to any situation,” said Watson.

Discussing preparations for Canada Day celebrations in the nation’s capital, Ottawa’s interim police chief Steve Bell said on Monday that his department is preparing alongside other agencies including the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for a number of possible scenarios.

“We’ve had to take unprecedented measures to ensure every officer is available and police member is deployed,” said Bell.

The convoy protests paralyzed downtown Ottawa for weeks this past February, leading to what police have called an “occupation” of the federal capital. Parallel protests sprang up at border crossings in Windsor, Ont., and Coutts, Alta., among other spots along the Canada-U.S. border.