"Peace, Love and Happiness", woman chants before being trampled by mounted police
Report by Claus Rinner - 19 February 2022.
Subsequent to invoking the Emergencies Act on the legally shaky ground of a “public order emergency” caused by Freedom Convoy 2022, Canadian governments sent additional police forces to Ottawa to disperse the crowds and remove parked trucks on Day 22 of the protest. Numerous live streams on social media allowed us to follow yesterday’s events from afar.
Among a number of tense face-offs between protesters and police, one incident leaves a particularly sour note. In a raw video, a woman with a walker is seen addressing a line of police explaining her reasons to protest and chanting “peace, love and happiness”. Next, a unit of mounted police enters the scene and rides into the tight space in front of the protesters.
As a result of the jumble, the elderly woman and another person are thrown to the ground, trampled by several horses.
Ottawa Police communications claim that “protesters continued their assaultive behaviour” (not supported by the above video), and horse-back police were used to create a “safe distance” between the sides.
Not safe enough for the woman with the walker. It appears that she was interviewed by an independent journalist a couple of days earlier. Identified as Candy, a Mohawk woman, she came to protest peacefully for the children. She indicates that she took two shots to be able to continue working for the Carnival. Her main concern about the mandates is for kids who are restricted in socializing and playing sports.
Reports that Candy passed away in hospital after the incident are being disputed, and we sincerely hope that she is well.
In contrast, the Ottawa Police may not be so well for a while. After the incident, they claimed that a bicycle had been thrown at a police horse with the intent to injure the animal. This does not match any of the available video evidence. In one video, a protester with a bike is briefly seen being pushed violently by police officers. Meanwhile, social media users had some rather sarcastic comments about the police services’ ability to differentiate between a bicycle and a mobility device.
Once the fog of war clears in Ottawa and democratic processes are restored, we should have a discussion about Canada’s National Vehicle. The top contenders: truck vs. walker.