More than 100 Protesters Arrested in Ottawa, Despite Claims in Facebook Video

“DEMONSTRATORS: You must leave. You must cease further unlawful activity and immediately remove your vehicle and/or property from all unlawful protest sites. Anyone within the unlawful protest site may be arrested. #ottawa,” read the tweet.

Ottawa Police Service reports from Feb. 18 to 21 list several individuals arrested for the protest and the charges against them. 

The reports include arrest information for leaders and organizers of the protest, including Tyson George Billings, Christopher John Barber, Patrick James King and Tamara Lich.

Each was charged with counseling to commit the offense of mischief. Barber, Billings and King were also charged with counseling to commit the offense of disobeying a court order and counseling to commit the offense of obstructing the police. Both King and Billings also were charged with mischief.

On Feb. 20, Bell said during an Ottawa Police Service press conference that 191 people were arrested, 107 were charged with a crime, and a total of 389 criminal charges were filed — including obstructing police, disobeying a court order, assault, mischief, possessing a weapon and assaulting a police officer.

The Ottawa Police Service tweeted that the main charges were mischief and obstruction, adding, “89 of [the individuals arrested] have been released with conditions” that they could not enter certain parts of the city, and “others have been released unconditionally.”

Joao Velloso, an associate professor in the faculty of law at the University of Ottawa, was on the ground to observe the protests. He told FactCheck.org in an email that it was likely “some individuals were charged, others not and some among these may be charged in the near future.”

So, while some protesters were arrested and released without charge, it’s possible those individuals could face charges later.

By Feb. 21, the day after the press conference, the number of people charged with a crime increased to 122, with the total number of criminal charges filed rising to 393.

Chris Harkins, the regional commanding officer of the Ontario Provincial Police, noted at the Feb. 20 police press conference that the Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act — which was used to declare a state of emergency in Ontario — gave police the ability to take “additional action against those participating in unlawful assemblies” in Ottawa and anywhere across the province.

The Emergencies Act, in addition to its power to prohibit assemblies in certain circumstances, was used to order and compel companies to provide services in cooperation with local officials. The act allowed authorities to seize and tow vehicles, both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. The act also allowed officials to cut off financial funding by freezing accounts connected to the protests — 206 financial accounts including a payment processor account worth $3.8 million.

Some Protesters Still in Custody

The release of protest leaders and organizers varied by case.

Lich, who was believed to be the individual who organized the GoFundMe account for the protest, was denied bail on Feb. 22 on the suspicion that she would commit another offense.

Barber was released on bond the day after his arrest, with the condition that he leave Ottawa within 24 hours after being released. 

King remained in police custody as of Feb. 25. We couldn’t find an update on Billings.

Despite Saccoccia’s false claim that the arrests were “illegal,” Velloso told us that the Ottawa Police Service was “extremely cautious” and provided notices to protesters for at least a week before making the first arrests.

“I am not aware of any illegal arrests,” he said. “Overall the Ottawa Police (OPS) was extremely cautious on the arrests, providing notice for at least a week before the first arrests. … The police had the authority to arrest and charge everyone in the illegal gathering or in the secured area, but they simply decided not to arrest nor charge everybody.”

The Ottawa protests received international attention, with individuals in the U.S sending money to protesters and copycat protests popping up in other countries, including the U.S.

The Ottawa city manager estimated the protests there will cost the city about $30 million for policing and other expenses. 

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.