In a tweet, bylaw officials said the towing took place within the downtown vehicle exclusion zone. We are definitely better prepared and more police officers from different jurisdictions are coming to help this weekend.- Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa The zone is similar to the one created in late April for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally and covers much of the downtown area. Within this, no street parking is allowed and protest vehicles are not allowed to enter until at least 6am on Monday. The zone extended west on Albert Street to Bayview Station and east to ByWard Market for Canada Day. On Thursday afternoon, four people were arrested near the National War Memorial.
From 8 am as of June 29, officers have issued 275 parking tickets and towed 72 vehicles that are in the Vehicle Control Zone for Canada Day events and demonstrations this weekend. < a href=“https://t.co/aj94k0QbQH">pic.twitter.com/aj94k0QbQH —@OttawaBylaw The Ottawa Police Service said it is investigating the incident, including reviewing video. Its initial investigations found that an interaction with an officer became confrontational and an officer choked, the agency said on Twitter. Police have not specified whether the incident involved one or two officers. Despite the arrests, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said law enforcement efforts appear to be “working relatively well,” especially compared to the weeks-long sit-in earlier this year on downtown streets.
“I think we’re definitely better prepared and more police officers from different jurisdictions are coming to help this weekend,” Watson said at a Canada Day event Friday morning. “It’s always a big day in Ottawa if it’s Canada Day. We wanted to make sure people come here and have an enjoyable, safe, fun experience.” A man draped in dozens of Canadian flags walks down Sparks Street in Ottawa on July 1, 2022. (Catherine Morasse/Radio-Canada)

“Minimal” police activity, mayor says

Later in the day, Watson said police told him there was “minimal activity” that required officers to attend. Organizers were to hold a “freedom music concert” with entertainers who became popular during the Freedom Convoy for their performance on a stage set up in front of Parliament on Wellington Street. Protesters also planned to march Friday on Parliament Hill and hold a dance party. As happened during the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in April, many of Canada Day’s events are coordinated by Veterans 4 Freedom (V4F), a group of central figures involved in Freedom Convoy’s weekly winter demonstrations. Organizers had also planned an “old-fashioned family picnic” at Strathcona Park on Friday morning, but the event was canceled.