Ottawa Police Dazzled by Urban Fireworks Show Celebrating 2-Year Convoy Anniversary
Videos show aggressive confrontation between convoy supporters and Ottawa Police in a downtown Ottawa parking lot that ended in fireworks
Ottawa Police were treated to a dazzling urban fireworks display celebrating the two-year anniversary of the invocation of the Emergencies Act.
Colourful explosions illuminated downtown Ottawa office buildings as convoy revellers gathered in a parking lot around a giant inflatable sheep fastened to a pick-up truck, heckling police and chanting: “Arrest Trudeau.”
Ottawa Police were spotted observing the fireworks display, before departing from the scene and leaving the area without police presence for hours.
Dystopian Canada Day celebration:
The illegal fireworks display, which took place in a paid parking lot operated by Impark located at the corner of Kent and Queen, involved two or three dozen people who had participated in Freedom Convoy anniversary events earlier in the day.
The rowdy and belligerent group were observed lining the Queen Street sidewalk heckling and swearing at police around 7:00 PM.
Nearly half-an-hour later, after a vehicle was towed and several police cruisers left the scene, convoy supporters unloaded a truck and began launching a volley of fireworks from the middle of the parking lot.
Over the course of the next hour, convoy supporters fired off dozens of rounds of fireworks, which could be heard loudly echoing off the sides of office buildings, condos and hotels through downtown Ottawa.
The blasts, approximately 20 to 30 metres in the air, sparkled and showered onto the streets and sidewalks below.
Tourists in Ottawa for Winterlude, including families with small children, were seen at various points crossing the intersection, which is adjacent to a large hotel and a light rail station.
In the City of Ottawa, fireworks may only be used on private property and under strict conditions on Canada Day and Victoria Day.
According to Ottawa By-law Services, “minimum safety distances … must be maintained from spectators, buildings and vehicles” and “the fireworks display must not cause danger or nuisance to any person or property.”
In addition to the urban fireworks display, some convoy supporters were also seen randomly lobbing cherry bombs into the air.
‘Get the fuck out of here’:
The explosive celebration followed an aggressive encounter between police and convoy supporters on Queen Street.
According to Chris Dacey, a lead convoy organizer who a day earlier spoke on behalf of the convoy at a press conference on Parliament Hill, a group of convoy supporters became agitated after someone was pulled over by police.
Dacey alleged that Ottawa Police retreated from the scene after the convoy group aggressively confronted police.
“They were met with chants of ‘arrest Trudeau’ and it looks like they have changed their minds and are bailing out,” Dacey claimed.
Video shows the emotional and hostile crowd chanting “shame” and offering suggestions as to what the police should do rather than enforce the law.
“Get the fuck out of here,” one convoy supporter named Dean yelled.
Other videos show convoy supporters citing a recent federal court ruling on the Emergencies Act to suggest they are on the right side of the law.
“You seen the Emergencies Act thing? We’re innocent,” a YouTuber named Kotab123 told Ottawa Police.
“You guys were in the wrong, bro,” Kotab added. “You guys were in the wrong.”
Other videos livestreamed by convoy participants show that Ottawa Police eventually returned after 11 PM.
In a noisy back-and-forth, nearly a dozen Ottawa Police officers informed the group that they had received reports of “public drinking” and “fireworks.”
“A couple of hours ago, there were multiple fireworks going off,” one officer is heard telling convoy organizer Chris Dacey, adding that they are on the scene “making sure there’s no fireworks.”
“Nobody has a comment on any political affiliation,” another officer said. “We’re here to maintain the public peace and maintain city ordinances such as noise by-laws against loud speakers, fireworks and horn honking.”
Ottawa Police unavailable for comment:
It is unclear if Ottawa Police made any arrests or issued any fines in relation to the encounters between police and convoy supporters Saturday night.
In an automated email to ConvoyWatch, the Ottawa Police Service indicated it was unavailable to respond to media requests as its office is closed due to the Family Day long weekend.
In 2023, the Emergencies Act Inquiry attributed a major reason for invoking the Emergencies Act to numerous “failures” and a “general breakdown” within the Ottawa Police Service.