RCMP Falsely Claimed Freedom Convoy Protesters Were Armed, Documents Show

Police officers in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022, during Freedom Convoy protest in the capital city. Richard Moore/The Epoch Times

The RCMP falsely claimed on Feb. 14—the same day cabinet invoked the Emergencies Act—that Freedom Convoy protesters gathered outside Ottawa’s Parliament buildings were armed, internal documents show. Ottawa Police Service (OPS) interim chief Steve Bell later confirmed no weapons were found among protesters.

“Intelligence information also suggests that convoy protesters are beginning to weaponize themselves,” read an RCMP briefing note sent to cabinet deputy ministers titled “Truckers Convoy And Protective Services,” obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.

“Officers are constantly monitoring the shift in behaviour and will respond accordingly,” it continued.

The briefing note’s timestamp was dated 12:59 p.m. on Feb. 14. Four hours later, the Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act, granting police authority to use extraordinary force in clearing protesters from Ottawa’s downtown core.

The RCMP briefing note also said that around 250 uniformed officers were outside Parliament and approximately 350 officers were being “deployed daily in support of our protective mandate.”

Cabinet revoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 23, just nine days after it came into force.

On Feb. 16, while the act was still in force, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters that Freedom Convoy protesters were committing potentially “deadly” crimes.

“Dangerous criminal activity occurring away from the TV cameras and social media posts was real and organized,” he said, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

‘No Concerns’

A Toronto Star article published on March 19 cited an anonymous police source claiming that some Freedom Convoy protesters had loaded shotguns in their trunks.

Five days later, Bell contradicted this report while testifying before the House of Commons public safety committee on March 24.

“Were weapons found? Were loaded firearms found, yes or no?” asked Conservative MP Dane Lloyd while questioning Bell over whether the allegations in the article were true.

“No, not relating to any charges to this point,” Bell responded.

Lloyd also asked if cabinet would’ve been informed if police had found loaded firearms amongst the protesters.

“They would have been immediately aware if you had found firearms, correct?” Lloyd said.

“There would have been public notifications made,” Bell replied.

Internal documents from the public safety department’s Government Operations Centre (GOC) dated Feb. 14, also obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter, characterized the Freedom Convoy as a peaceful protest having little impact on federal operations.

“Approximately 10 people on Parliament Hill and approximately 100 on the surrounding streets,” read the GOC’s daily security update released the same day cabinet invoked the Emergencies Act.

“No concerns at this time,” said an assessment by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service included in the report.

Omid Ghoreishi and Noé Chartier contributed to this report.