The Canadian government claims that the reason the police used violence and force to move protesters off the streets of Canada’s capital was that the demonstrators themselves were violent.
Police Chief Steven Bell gave a press conference on Saturday trying to justify his officers using horses to push the protesters back. After several demonstrators were trampled — caught on video — Bell denied that it was a big deal.
“We all saw that the protesters were aggressive with the officers and we needed to use horses at one point,” Bell said at the conference. “As a result, we responded this morning by adding helmets and batons to our equipment for the safety of our officers.”
Using horses wasn’t “needed.” But the subsequent trampling had to be justified somehow.
WATCH: Close up of peaceful protestors in Ottawa protesting mandates being trampled by the mounted unit.
Yes, this is Canada in 2022. pic.twitter.com/I776GdTIwe
— K2🍁🚛 (@kiansimone44) February 18, 2022
“What I can indicate is there was two members of the protesters who did collide with the horses. They fell down,” Bell told the reporters. “They immediately got back up and started to again engage in their protest and demonstration activity.”
Actually, other protesters picked them up and took them away — presumably to get medical attention. They didn’t appear capable of continuing their protest.
Fox News:
“As indicated earlier, we will have the opportunity to review all of those files. There are complaint mechanisms for people to enter into if they feel that there is excessive use of force by members of our police service,” Bell said. He added, “This occupation is over. We have advised them that if they peacefully leave, they may go home. That still exists. We also indicated that we would escalate and forcibly remove people from the streets if they did not comply. Some of that is what you’re seeing. So I will stand here today again and say this demonstration is over. Go home. If you don’t go home, we will remove you from the streets.”
But this brutality couldn’t be justified. For all the talk by the government about “aggressive” protesters and the “threat” of a Jan. 6-style riot, only one police officer was slightly injured.
All of that force and only one minor injury among police? In the “racial justice” riots during the summer of 2020, the Major Cities Chiefs Association reported more than 2,000 law enforcement officers were injured in the first weeks of protests following the police killing of George Floyd.
The show of force by the Canadian government against the protesters was theater. It was brutal and violent not because the police were forced to respond to violence but because the Canadian government wanted to make a point about obedience.
Naturally, the lapdog press in Canada agreed with the brutal crackdown. Brian Lilley of the Toronto Sun claimed that “Amid cries of police brutality, what I saw were officers simply and professionally doing the job they should have done weeks ago.” That’s not what most of the rest of us saw as the Canadian government continues to insist there were no injuries to protesters.
Not one store looted.
Not one thing vandalized.
Not one building burned down.
Not one gunshot.
Not one injury.
Not one arrest.Nothing but peace, love and dancing.
The capital of Canada belongs to everyone. Everyone has a right to peacefully protest – especially at the Capital. https://t.co/mp48NRDlwO
— Queen Paola 🇨🇦 (@PaolaQP1231) February 19, 2022
The violent, brutal crackdown was not necessary. And no amount of lying by Prime Minister Trudeau will ever change that fact.
Source: PJ Media
