The claim: Protest-related arrests in Ottawa are ‘fake’
As the National Guard braces for planned trucker protests in Washington, some on social media claim Canadians have faced few legal consequences for similar demonstrations in Ottawa, Ontario.
“They can’t charge you, they can’t do anything with you,” Chris Saccoccia said in a video published Feb. 21 on Facebook. “So you know what they’re doing to these people? They’re arresting them in front of everybody, handcuffing them, throwing them in a paddy wagon, driving them about 15, 20 minutes away and then just releasing them in the middle of nowhere.
“Why? Because they can’t charge a peaceful protester with a crime for standing in a public area.”
Saccoccia, known on social media as Chris Sky, is a Canadian activist who has previously promoted false and misleading claims about COVID-19. The video, published by a page called 2020: What’s the Real Truth, racked up more than 28,000 views within two days.
“Chris Sky: Fake Arrests!!!” the caption says.
The post came after Ottawa police cracked down on protests that had shut down parts of the city for weeks. Truckers from across Canada drove to the capital in January to protest proof-of-vaccination requirements for drivers crossing the U.S. border.
The demonstrations, colloquially known as the “Freedom Convoy,” inspired similar events around the world. They also set off a cascade of misinformation online – including this latest video.
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Contrary to the claim in the post, police have arrested scores of protesters in Ottawa. Many of the demonstrators face mischief charges, and some have been jailed. There’s no evidence the arrests are “fake,” as the post claims.
USA TODAY reached out to Sky and the Facebook page that shared the video for comment.
Ottawa police arrested scores of protesters
In a Feb. 21 news release, the Ottawa Police Service said it had made 196 arrests related to the Freedom Convoy protests. Of those, authorities charged 110 with various offenses.
There’s no evidence those arrests are “fake,” as the Facebook post claims.
On Feb. 6, Ottawa’s mayor declared a state of emergency and called for outside help to quell protests against COVID-19 restrictions. A week later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked Canada’s Emergencies Act, which allows the government to ban public assembly and restrict travel to and from certain areas.
Fact check:False claim that Ottawa police were told to return fuel seized in truck protests
On Feb. 16, Ottawa police warned protesters to disperse or face criminal charges.
“The Ottawa Police Service wants to inform you that under provincial and federal legislation, you will face severe penalties if you do not cease further unlawful activity and remove your vehicle and/or property immediately from all unlawful protest sites,” police said in a statement.
Two days later, police started arresting demonstrators and towing vehicles in the protest zone.
Police booked many on mischief charges, which the Canadian Press reported are most commonly applied to protesters accused of infringing on other people’s rights to work or access property. Other demonstrators have been charged with assault, obstructing police and disobeying a court order, according to the Ottawa Police Service.
Fact check:Claim that Ottawa police aren’t subject to Canada’s vaccine mandates cites outdated guidelines
Of those who were charged, some were released from police custody on the condition that they stay out of certain areas, as Saccoccia alludes to in his video. Some protesters were released without conditions, the Canadian Press reported.
Others haven’t been so lucky.
The Toronto Star reported Feb. 22 that organizer Tamara Lich remained in jail after she was denied bail. Other protest leaders also face bail proceedings.
Our rating: False
Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that protest-related arrests in Ottawa are “fake.” There is no evidence that’s the case. As of Feb. 21, the Ottawa Police Service said it had arrested 196 people and charged scores of them with various offenses related to the Freedom Convoy protests.
Our fact-check sources:
- USA TODAY, Feb. 23, Truck convoy nearing nation’s capital; Pentagon OKs use of National Guard: COVID updates
- Associated Press, Feb. 18, Ottawa crackdown: police arrest 100 after 3-week protest
- CBC News, Aug. 25, 2021, Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist arrested after Winnipeg rally
- BOOM, March 10, 2021, Canadian Anti-Vaxxer Shares COVID-19 Vaccine Misinfo In Viral Video
- Agence France-Presse, March 5, 2021, Canadian activist makes inaccurate claims about Covid-19 vaccine safety
- USA TODAY, Feb. 16, Fact check: False claim that Ottawa police were told to return fuel seized in truck protests
- USA TODAY, Feb. 16, Fact check: Posts mislead about crowd size, peacefulness at Canada ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest
- USA TODAY, Feb. 14, Fact check: Canadian government didn’t place rock-filled bins to incite violence at trucker protest
- USA TODAY, Feb. 14, Can protests similar to the Canadian ‘Freedom Convoy’ happen here? They already are.
- Associated Press, Feb. 11, EXPLAINER: A look at what’s behind the protests in Canada
- Ottawa Police Service, Feb. 20, Tweet
- Ottawa Police Service, Feb. 21, Update on Police Operations to Remove Unlawful Protesters
- The New York Times, Feb. 6, Ottawa Mayor Declares State of Emergency Amid Antigovernment Protests
- The New York Times, Feb. 14, Trudeau Declares Rare Public Emergency to Quell Protests
- Ottawa Police Service, Feb. 16, A further Notice to Demonstrators
- The New York Times, Feb. 16, Ottawa Police Warn of Arrests as Government Gets Tougher on Protests
- The Canadian Press, Feb. 20, What you need to know about mischief charges and the Ottawa protests
- The Canadian Press, Feb. 20, Nearly 400 criminal charges laid, 79 vehicles towed: OPS
- Toronto Star, Feb. 22, Ottawa organizer Tamara Lich denied bail as court cases reveal who was behind the protests
- Associated Press, Feb. 22, Key organizer of Ottawa COVID protests denied bail
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