Ottawa Police Board Orders Operational Review of Response to Convoy ‘Fireworks Incident’
Ottawa Police Board Orders Operational Review of Response to Convoy ‘Fireworks Incident’
Police board says it’s become aware of a possible ‘discrepancy’ in information about a convoy fireworks show presented by Ottawa’s police chief
Ottawa’s Police Services Board says it has requested Ottawa Police conduct an operational review of its response to an illegal convoy fireworks display after becoming aware of a possible “discrepancy” in information presented by Ottawa Police at a board meeting this week.
As first reported by ConvoyWatch, a group of convoy supporters launched multiple rounds of fireworks on February 17 after a hostile confrontation with police that ended with no arrests and officers pulled from the scene.
In response to questions from ConvoyWatch about information presented at its February 26 board meeting, Ottawa’s Police Services Board acknowledged a possible “discrepancy” in information presented by Ottawa Police:
“The Ottawa Police Services Board has been made aware that there may be a discrepancy between information provided to the Board at its public meeting on February 26th, 2024, and information circulating on social media with respect to the fireworks incident on February 17, 2024.
Continuing to rebuild public trust and confidence with the community is a priority for the Board.Further to a clarification sought by the Board, the Ottawa Police Service will be undertaking an operational review to determine what transpired during the fireworks incident on February 17, 2024.”
Ottawa police chief falsely claimed fireworks not deployed while police were on scene
During the police board meeting, Ottawa Police leadership suggested that the reason no one was arrested during the illegal fireworks display was because officers “did not observe any fireworks”:
“Upon attendance, there were no fireworks being deployed and thus no charges were issued.”
However, video recorded by ConvoyWatch contradicts information presented to the board by Ottawa’s Police Chief — in fact, it actually shows officers were on the scene watching the fireworks but took no action:
In his version of events, Chief Stubbs also suggested police spoke with convoy supporters and the activity stopped with no further fireworks that night:
“The remaining OPS officers ensured demonstrators understood the boundaries of lawful behaviour and they stopped this activity. While there were reports of some noise after officers left, there were no significant events that night. However, By-law does inform that they have an open investigation into the fireworks incident.”
Incident commander falsely claimed officers “did not observe any fireworks”
Chief Stubbs’ narrative was echoed by Acting Inspector Julie Mann, identified as the incident commander that evening.
Mann told the police board that officers responded to a “disturbance” at the intersection of Kent and Queen Street just after 6:00 PM.
Claiming police “received information regarding fireworks being deployed at that location” and reminded “convoy folks” to keep the “noise down” and not shoot fireworks, the commander emphasized officers “did not observe any fireworks deployed when they were present”:
“Shortly thereafter, just after 6:00 PM, the Ottawa Police received a call for service regarding a disturbance at the intersection of Kent and Queen Street, which is the parking lot located immediately beside the Red Pepper on Queen Street. Officers also received information regarding fireworks being deployed at that location. Ottawa Police responded, our frontline officers attended and spoke to the protesters, the convoy folks that were there on scene, and did not observe any fireworks deployed when they were present, however, they did have conversations with the protesters regarding keeping the noise down as well as reminding them regarding the fireworks, the use of the fireworks.”
Time stamps contradict Ottawa Police presentation to police board
The version of events presented by Stubbs and senior officers suggests that the fireworks were set-off before officers arrived and stopped after police intervened and told convoy supporters to knock it off.
Videos recorded by ConvoyWatch, as well as livestream videos posted by convoy supporters, show definitively this is not true.
Before 7:00 and 7:30 PM, at least four Ottawa Police cruisers were present at the scene dealing with angry crowds before the fireworks incident.
Shortly before 7:30 PM, multiple police cruisers left the scene, leaving only one police cruiser behind to deal with the crowd.
Time stamps on videos show:
One police officer was on scene and watched the first round of fireworks from the roadside.
The lone police cruiser left the scene 20 minutes later.
With no police presence whatsoever, convoy supporters spent the next half-hour randomly lobbing objects resembling cherry bombs into the air and set-off a second round of fireworks.
Community group says police board needs to hold police chief accountable
Sam Hersh, a director of the local community group Horizon Ottawa and a plaintiff in a constitutional challenge against the police board, said he was pleasantly surprised by the police board’s response, but stressed the board needs to go further and hold Chief Stubbs accountable:
“I'm glad that the Police Board followed-up. Seeing them being willing to be held accountable is a rare occurrence.
I am quite concerned however about the conduct of the Chief during this meeting. Giving wrong information to the public that clearly contradicts public information about police presence during the fireworks is troubling and he needs to be held accountable.”
Hersh added that inaccurate information presented to the police board is frustrating, but also not surprising:
“I am frustrated but not surprised because this is what we have come to expect of the OPS.
Their frequent attempts to either skew narratives in their favour or at the very best, be willfully ignorant, instead of changing their ways and being more accountable should tell us all we need to know about how much the OPS value public feedback and care about ‘regaining public trust’.”