Canadian Officials Launch Investigation After Chilling Messages from Ottawa Police Crackdown Surface
The Freedom Convoy trucker protests in Canada were certainly nonviolent affairs, at least until police swooped in. Nobody could accuse protesters of being bloodthirsty or of reveling in brutality being visited upon their rivals. If only we could say the same thing about those doing the crackdown with any assuredness.
According to Fox News, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating after a source on social media leaked screenshots that were reportedly from an RCMP group chat in which members relish in the pain being inflicted upon COVID-19 protesters in the Canadian capital of Ottawa.
The investigation comes after video surfaced of a mounted officer who appeared to knock over an elderly female protester with a walker. Despite footage contradicting their account, Ottawa Police initially indicated that a bicycle was thrown at the horse. (The Western Journal was among the media outlets to note Ottawa Police’s reticence in addressing the disturbing clip; we’ll continue to bring you the latest news on the Canadian protests. You can help us bring America the truth by subscribing.)
The law enforcement members in this case are from the RCMP Musical Ride, a group which is described as helping out “front-line police operations by building positive relationships, supporting recruiting efforts and promoting the RCMP’s image in communities in Canada.”
The messages, if accurate as recorded in screen shots and photos, didn’t buttress the RCMP’s image any.
In one screen-shotted message, an RCMP member declares, “Time for the protesters to hear our jackboots on the ground.” When he was told by another group chat member that “this is a kinder gentler RCMP,” he responded, “Okay we can give out free hugs and unicorn stickers.”
The same member also raises a beer to the officers involved in the crackdown.
“Cheers crew!” he wrote. “Here’s to some sweet OT this weekend for our on call members. Don’t kick all of them out until next weeks group gets our turn.”
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) February 20, 2022
Andrew Nixon says “don’t kick all of them out until next week’s group gets their turn.” For Trudeau’s officers, sure – it costs them their soul, but at least they get paid. pic.twitter.com/rnXUbcnGQe
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) February 20, 2022
In another, the video of the elderly woman getting knocked over is being discussed. Just so we’re clear, this is what we’re talking about:
WARNING: The following video contains graphic violence that some viewers may find disturbing.
This is disturbing. Is the woman with the walker trampled by Mounted Unit horses alive? Is she in surgery? Has @SIUOntario been notified? Do you have any concerns or comment @OttawaPolice @JustinTrudeau @fordnation @JimWatsonOttawa – Why? pic.twitter.com/X251vZiIaq
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) February 18, 2022
One group member claims other shots of the video show someone “inserting a bike in [the horse’s] path tripping him up” and says “thankfully the rider stayed on.” Another, however, seems more enthused about it.
“[J]ust watched that horse video – that is awesome,” they said. “We should practice that manoeuvre.”
Marca, an RCMP officer, thinks that the video of a indigenous elder being throat stomped by a horse is “awesome!!!”
It is so cool that she thinks they should practice doing it! Very neat Marca. pic.twitter.com/1yp38iIVv1— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) February 20, 2022
Images from the chat were separately reported on by both the right-wing Canadian news site Rebel News and independent journalist Keean Bexte. While both side with the Freedom Convoy protesters and Rebel News originally couldn’t corroborate the messages, the RCMP seems to think they’re valid enough to warrant an investigation.
“The RCMP is aware of the material circulating on social media pertaining to a chat group that includes some of its members, and we can confirm that we are looking into the matter. This material is not representative of those who have committed themselves to serving Canadians with integrity and professionalism,” the RCMP said in a statement Sunday.
“Since the beginning, our members have worked tirelessly alongside our municipal and provincial policing partners in Ottawa and across the country to end illegal blockades and unlawful protests safely and peacefully.
“All members of the RCMP know that, whether on or off duty, they have a responsibility to hold themselves to the highest professional standards and are subject to the Code of Conduct of the RCMP at all times,” it continued. “This includes acting with integrity, fairness and impartiality and avoiding any potential conflicts between their professional responsibilities and private interests.”
The #RCMP is aware of the material circulating on social media pertaining to a chat group that includes some of its members. We can confirm that we are looking into the matter. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/5DeubvdS4h
— RCMP (@rcmpgrcpolice) February 20, 2022
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All members of the RCMP know that, whether on or off duty, they have a responsibility to hold themselves to the highest professional standards and are subject to the Code of Conduct of the RCMP at all times. Read the full statement: https://t.co/iYpNhg7XsC 3/3
— RCMP (@rcmpgrcpolice) February 20, 2022
That statement came on the same day a civilian oversight board in Ontario announced it was looking into the video which showed the elderly woman being knocked over.
Whether the investigations mount to anything remains to be seen, but the point remains that this can’t just be dismissed out of hand as disinformation. The government’s crackdown on protests has been a state-sanctioned use of police force against protesters that the left can finally get behind. It’s not just that they don’t think the video of the elderly protester being knocked down or the RCMP Musical Ride messages are fake news. It’s that they don’t care.
All of this is worth noting since, on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got the House of Commons’ approval for his use of the Emergencies Act to crack down on the Freedom Convoy. According to Politico, Trudeau’s Liberal Party won the support of the left-wing New Democratic Party in a 185-151 vote that allows the government to continue using its expanded powers to arrest demonstrators, seize their assets and zero out their bank accounts.
Trudeau was asked whether the vote was representative of the confidence lawmakers had in his shaky minority government. “I can’t imagine anyone voting against this bill as expressing anything other than a deep mistrust in the government’s ability to keep Canadians safe at an extraordinarily important time,” Trudeau said.
As is too often the case, I couldn’t have summed it any better than Trudeau did — despite only one of us intending it that way.
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