Thread by @judyatrinh

My latest: How organizers with police and military expertise are helping convoy protestors dig in.
cbc.ca/news/canada/co…

Within the leadership group, there are two individuals that stand out that would have deep knowledge Ottawa's security strengths and weaknesses. One was on the Prime Minister's security detail, the other sat on Canada's national counter-terrorism unit.

There are also former police officers and soldiers who joined the convoy demonstration. The website Police on Guard lists at least 150 ex-police and 50 ex-Cdn forces who are against vaccine mandates. Video on the site shows members at the protest. policeonguard.ca/police-on-guar…

Before this protest began @OttawaPolice sent out this tweet - perhaps to placate thousands of people they knew were angry at pandemic measures. Critics said this amounted to a "welcome mat"

ton.twitter.com/1.1/ton/data/d…

But this "siege" all began with what @MichaelKempa1 calls a "grievous error" - allowing big rigs right up to the gates of Parliament Hill. It's a surprise given the attack on Parliament in 2014 and a truck ramming through Governor's General gates at Rideau Hall in July 2020

Not only did the huge transport trucks turn into potential weapons, police don't have the right to search the vehicles. But more importantly the trucks were used to transport materials (2x4s, bbq, tents, generators) allowing protestors to entrench.

On Sunday - police in a show of force, raided a logistics/ supply depot at the baseball stadium on Coventry Rd. But why did it take nine days? Why did police allow the protestors to build up supplies which included a diesel tank, three saunas & two tractor trailers full of food

Here's an overhead shot of the Coventry logistics camp the day after the raid. All those vehicles belong to protestors. On the weekends, the entire parking lot has been full of big rigs. The lot is owned by the Titans Baseball team, but the convoy controls who comes and goes.

Trucks drive in drop off fuel/ food. The supplies are separated into smaller loads and transported downtown in smaller vehicles. Today the supply chain hummed along. There was no police preventing it.

@AmarAmarasingam wonders if police 'underestimated' convoy. He says police should have known that the demonstrators intended to occupy Ottawa from online chatter. 2 weeks before the protest, organizers attempted to rent 400 rooms at the nearby convention hotel for 1 month.

How did a protest turn into an encampment and become a tinder box?
I get into more detail on @FrontBurnerCBC with @jayme_poisson
cbc.ca/radio/frontbur…

I don't know how this will end..but with each day that passes I worry about this tipping over into massive arrests and violence.-30-
cbc.ca/news/canada/co…

Is this another tactical error by Ottawa Police?
1) Gave permission to set up camp at 1500 Bronson - steps to main airport road
2) Permitted parking at baseball stadium- turned into Coventry logistics camp
3) Allowed heavy trucks up to gates of Parliament Hill

https://twitter.com/nataliagoodwin/status/1491783185272913921

Here is a thread I wrote at the beginning of this protest nearly two weeks ago. Gives insight into tensions within the Ottawa Police Service

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1489429…

I am just incredulous right now. Mouth agape. Protestors are deputizing themselves as peace officers at the Coventry Road logistics camp.

https://twitter.com/ItsDeanBlundell/status/1491807446007959554?s=20&t=LO8bdW4hz0yvdzUCSlt-cw