Freedom Convoy protests [Split from All things 2019-nCoV]

[Jarnhamar]

20 to 40 people armed with axes hit a site in a coordinated attack causing millions of dollars in damage and injure an RCMP officer.

Now people fire bomb RCMP vehicles and an ambulance in the Sunshine Inn parking lot (town pop 5300).

Can you imagine if that happened with the protest? 3SOR would be air dropping onto the Ottawa River and 1Chicken would be ripping up the 417 in LAV6s.

 

[Brad Sallows]

People dealing with crises need to be able to spitball (and shoot down) even hairbrain ideas without being taken to task for the mere crime of thinking strange things through. Now, if their estimate is foolish and leads to a foolish conclusion, by all means unload on them. (Both barrels if they acted on it.)

 

[Quirky]

20 to 40 people armed with axes hit a site in a coordinated attack causing millions of dollars in damage and injure an RCMP officer.

Now people fire bomb RCMP vehicles and an ambulance in the Sunshine Inn parking lot (town pop 5300).

Can you imagine if that happened with the protest? 3SOR would be air dropping onto the Ottawa River and 1Chicken would be ripping up the 417 in LAV6s.

When the feds hate western oil, and your environment minister is an eco-terrorist and convicted criminal, I wouldn't be surprised if the Liberals are secretly happy this is going on...

 

[Good2Golf]

You’re super salty this morning. What’s up?

Yeah, perhaps a bit more so than normal. Unless there was something being done that wasn’t messaged earlier, things like the Coastal Gaslink (the called terrorist) attack and now this…not a dig at all at local L.E., but rather the sense/atmosphere that has been if not nurtured by, then tolerated/ignored by higher levels of government.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Yeah, perhaps a bit more so than normal. Unless there was something being done that wasn’t messaged earlier, things like the Coastal Gaslink (the called terrorist) attack and now this…not a dig at all at local L.E., but rather the sense/atmosphere that has been if not nurtured by, then tolerated/ignored by higher levels of government.

It’s amazing how the severity of an event becomes exponentially less severe in relation to it’s as the crow flies distance from Versailles, isn’t it?

 

[Good2Golf]

When the feds hate western oil, and your environment minister is an eco-terrorist and convicted criminal, I wouldn't be surprised if the Liberals are secretly happy this is going on...

I was taking care not to overstate Guilbault’s conduct, I think the literal use of terrorist is an overstatement, but he is a criminally-convicted individual and has extreme views of eco-related action that Canada should take towards his (and likely Trudeau’s and Butts’ personal views) turned national goals…

 

[daftandbarmy]

Yeah, perhaps a bit more so than normal. Unless there was something being done that wasn’t messaged earlier, things like the Coastal Gaslink (the called terrorist) attack and now this…not a dig at all at local L.E., but rather the sense/atmosphere that has been if not nurtured by, then tolerated/ignored by higher levels of government.

This will not be helped at all by the incoming 'activist' premier... not at all:

Incoming premier David Eby likely to shuffle cabinet, craft "activist" budget: political experts​

David Eby will be sworn in by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin at Government House. While no date has been set, many are expecting the transition to take place in the first half of November.

Incoming premier David Eby likely to shuffle cabinet, craft "activist" budget: political experts

David Eby will be sworn in by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin at Government House.

vancouversun.com

 

[mariomike]

Very definitely. The subsequent “rolling thunder” protest a couple months later was subject to very tight traffic control, and swift and decisive public order unit action when they tried to get stupid and blockade Rideau Street. Lessons from convoy were learned and implemented.

Regarding who was protesting: I can only speak firsthand to what I saw occupying Ottawa, but I’m stand my my earlier assertions: overwhelmingly if not quite exclusively white. The racial breakdown, IMHO, really doesn’t matter- I only mention. It because it’s apprently a factual bone of contention, so FWIW that’s my observation. As for “truckers”, I’ll take that to mean those economically dependent on driving trucks, or/or owning operating same. While there were a few of those on the ground, I’d estimate that they were a small minority of the occupiers and of those who took to the streets on foot, although they provided the physical kit (trucks) to allow the occupation to have disproportionate effect. Some truckers came out for a drive at the start, but most had to get back to work. The core ideological leaders or organizers, and their inner circle - Bauder, Lich, King, Marazzo, et al, were not truckers, but rather were familiar faces in anti-government protest circles. Whatever truckers may have started, they co-opted- and this was not the first convoy to Ottawa some were involved in.

What hit the ground and occupied Ottawa bore little resemblance to legitimate grievances held by long haul truckers. The occupation was mostly a varied and inchoate assembly of various groups with ideological affinity, catalyze by various pandemic related beliefs and opinions, and united(ish) by a desire to see the current government tossed out on its ass with or without an election.

Thank you for your professional observation and insight. Unlike yourself, I wasn't there. But, from what I read and saw on TV, that was my take on it.

 

[brihard]

Yeah, perhaps a bit more so than normal. Unless there was something being done that wasn’t messaged earlier, things like the Coastal Gaslink (the called terrorist) attack and now this…not a dig at all at local L.E., but rather the sense/atmosphere that has been if not nurtured by, then tolerated/ignored by higher levels of government.

I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that some rather intensive investigation is ongoing into both events, but they may simply not have enough to go on for laying of charges at this point. There may be a combination of sound OPSEC, and/or deeply entrenched ‘don’t talk to police’ culture in play. I’d be astonished if there weren’t some solid suspects, but crossing the bridge to being prepared to prove it in court is another matter. All of this is speculating though.

 

[Good2Golf]

I suspect you’re right, brihard, but I also suspect there are some factors that are already in play that may very well adjust the ‘receptiveness space’ for any such low level LE efforts to be pursued further up the chain.

 

[brihard]

I suspect you’re right, brihard, but I also suspect there are some factors that are already in play that may very well adjust the ‘receptiveness space’ for any such low level LE efforts to be pursued further up the chain.

I very much doubt it. Investigative teams are generally quite well shielded from outside influence and interference. I have enough exposure to investigations that one might expect to attract such political attention that I feel pretty confident saying this. There’s not really a whole lot of ‘up the chain’ needed to actively investigate in most instances; the hat goes up is mostly just progress reporting. The speed and direction of even pretty significant investigations is generally managed at a (rank) level low enough that it would surprise most of you.

 

[Quirky]

I was taking care not to overstate Guilbault’s conduct, I think the literal use of terrorist is an overstatement, but he is a criminally-convicted individual and has extreme views of eco-related action that Canada should take towards his (and likely Trudeau’s and Butts’ personal views) turned national goals…

The feds silence on these domestic terrorism attacks on O&G infrastructure is enough to conclude they don’t care. Trudeau and company are more than willing to call out crap that happens beyond our borders but there wasn’t so much as a peep on this. This government really needs to go.

 

[Remius]

The feds silence on these domestic terrorism attacks on O&G infrastructure is enough to conclude they don’t care. Trudeau and company are more than willing to call out crap that happens beyond our borders but there wasn’t so much as a peep on this. This government really needs to go.

Canadian gov't condemns violent attack on Coastal GasLink pipeline work camp

The Canadian government on Friday condemned an attack on a Coastal GasLink pipeline work camp in northern British Columbia, in which police said assailants brandishing axes threatened workers and damaged equipment.

www.reuters.com

It’s been condemned but not really as prevalent in the news cycle.

To be honest the opposition does not seem to be keeping this in the news cycle either so I would say that for now unless something becomes politically advantageous to one side or another it won’t be front and centre.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Well, another wonderful idea (not) exposed ...

WARMINGTON: Canada's top cop considered soldiers undercover as Mounties at Freedom Convoy​

The conversation between two of Canada’s top cops was about an undercover police operation that would see soldiers disguised Mounties.

We’ve seen police officers dress up as protesters before but military troops potentially dressing up police officers is something new on Canada’s political and law enforcement landscapes. Yet, despite the Canadian government’s insistence the military would not be deployed to help end last winter’s Freedom Convoy protest blocking streets below Parliament Hill, sneaking the military into the middle of the protest disguised as police was discussed.

The stunning revelation about this clandestine consideration came to light Thursday at the Justice Paul Rouleau Inquiry into the merit of the Trudeau government invoking the Emergencies Act when documents revealed a Feb. 13, 2022 text message conversation between OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki.

While there was a suggestion the conversation should move to a more secure platform that doesn’t create a historical record, what was on record and entered as evidence was reminiscent of something from deep-state-style espionage novels instead of a country that prides itself on its Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

But the trucker’s Freedom Convoy has put the charter, freedom and the very definition of criminal behaviour to the test. BURNING QUESTIONS: Testimony doesn't support Trudeau's claim of convoy's national threa

Thursday was that two weeks into the ongoing protest, and one day before Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history, Lucki asked Carrique for his thoughts on the use of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for various roles to help manage the standoff with protesting truckers.

Lucki texted: “Could you see a role for CAF in any of this… For example, after we secure and all is back to ‘normal,’ maybe keeping sites secure or patrolling unmanned POE’s (Public Order Emergency) etc.”

Carrique responded: “The best step for government – I would rather not see CAF playing a role off of govt properties. We could use special constables controlled by police for unarmed patrols and an immediate long term commitment (s) to adequate policing resources to both prevent and respond to these events.”

Lucki responded: “It’s funny you say that, because I was thinking maybe we could use CAF but in our uniforms as unarmed Auxiliaries or Spl (special) Csts. (constables) to supplement us … in teams.”

It is unclear whether or not this ever happened.

The RCMP or Prime Minister’s office declined to comment Friday.

But a statement from the military to the Toronto Sun said: “Minister (Anita) Anand and the DND/CAF have been clear in stating that we had no plans for the Canadian Armed Forces to be involved in law enforcement in this situation.”

On Feb. 4, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “One has to be very, very cautious before deploying military in situations engaging Canadians,” before adding, “It’s not something you enter into lightly.”

Yet the text conversation between the RCMP and OPP is the fourth known instance of the military mentioned pertaining to concerns of civil unrest during the coronavirus pandemic.

WARMINGTON: Canada's top cop considered soldiers undercover as Mounties at Freedom Convoy

The conversation between two of Canada's top cops was about an undercover police operation that would see soldiers disguised Mounties.

torontosun.com

 

[Quirky]

Who cares if they considered air dropping LAVs from C-17s, it never happened.

 

[GK .Dundas]

Who cares if they considered air dropping LAVs from C-17s, it never happened.

?

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

@daftandbarmy they were just "brainstorming" according to some here, it was NBD

 

[Navy_Pete]

@daftandbarmy they were just "brainstorming" according to some here, it was NBD

That's correct; random people with no authority thinking about asking for the CAF to be used doesn't mean it was ever actually discussed, but the RCMP commisioner really should know better than to even think that is an option.

But we get it, it's all Trudeau's fault that someone in the government does something you don't like.

 

[Remius]

some think that texting with ideas amounts to the same thing as a massive OP plan set and ready to go. Heck just her suggesting it must mean the troops were already being fitted with special constable uniforms …

 

[brihard]

Well, another wonderful idea (not) exposed ...

WARMINGTON: Canada's top cop considered soldiers undercover as Mounties at Freedom Convoy​

The conversation between two of Canada’s top cops was about an undercover police operation that would see soldiers disguised Mounties.

We’ve seen police officers dress up as protesters before but military troops potentially dressing up police officers is something new on Canada’s political and law enforcement landscapes. Yet, despite the Canadian government’s insistence the military would not be deployed to help end last winter’s Freedom Convoy protest blocking streets below Parliament Hill, sneaking the military into the middle of the protest disguised as police was discussed.

The stunning revelation about this clandestine consideration came to light Thursday at the Justice Paul Rouleau Inquiry into the merit of the Trudeau government invoking the Emergencies Act when documents revealed a Feb. 13, 2022 text message conversation between OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki.

While there was a suggestion the conversation should move to a more secure platform that doesn’t create a historical record, what was on record and entered as evidence was reminiscent of something from deep-state-style espionage novels instead of a country that prides itself on its Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

But the trucker’s Freedom Convoy has put the charter, freedom and the very definition of criminal behaviour to the test. BURNING QUESTIONS: Testimony doesn't support Trudeau's claim of convoy's national threa

Thursday was that two weeks into the ongoing protest, and one day before Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history, Lucki asked Carrique for his thoughts on the use of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for various roles to help manage the standoff with protesting truckers.

Lucki texted: “Could you see a role for CAF in any of this… For example, after we secure and all is back to ‘normal,’ maybe keeping sites secure or patrolling unmanned POE’s (Public Order Emergency) etc.”

Carrique responded: “The best step for government – I would rather not see CAF playing a role off of govt properties. We could use special constables controlled by police for unarmed patrols and an immediate long term commitment (s) to adequate policing resources to both prevent and respond to these events.”

Lucki responded: “It’s funny you say that, because I was thinking maybe we could use CAF but in our uniforms as unarmed Auxiliaries or Spl (special) Csts. (constables) to supplement us … in teams.”

It is unclear whether or not this ever happened.

The RCMP or Prime Minister’s office declined to comment Friday.

But a statement from the military to the Toronto Sun said: “Minister (Anita) Anand and the DND/CAF have been clear in stating that we had no plans for the Canadian Armed Forces to be involved in law enforcement in this situation.”

On Feb. 4, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “One has to be very, very cautious before deploying military in situations engaging Canadians,” before adding, “It’s not something you enter into lightly.”

Yet the text conversation between the RCMP and OPP is the fourth known instance of the military mentioned pertaining to concerns of civil unrest during the coronavirus pandemic.

WARMINGTON: Canada's top cop considered soldiers undercover as Mounties at Freedom Convoy

The conversation between two of Canada's top cops was about an undercover police operation that would see soldiers disguised Mounties.

torontosun.com

Yup, several of us discussed it this morning.

@daftandbarmy they were just "brainstorming" according to some here, it was NBD

Your further replies were conspicuously absent after a few of us articulated our thoughts on it in some detail.