Three people were arrested during pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Ottawa this weekend.
Ottawa’s chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement has been organizing weekly rallies through the downtown core to protest Israel’s ongoing armed offensive in Gaza and Lebanon since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
On Saturday, police say two people were arrested. One man was taken into custody after interfering with the group demonstrating and a woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer following “repeated non-compliance orders from officers.”
Organizers for the Palestinian Youth Movement say one of their members was also arrested during a protest in front of the Ottawa Police Service headquarters on Sunday morning. Police have not confirmed the arrest or the charges.
Demonstrators marched from the Human Rights Monument near Ottawa City Hall and moved down Elgin Street, Sussex Drive and Rideau Street. Video posted to social media by the Palestinian Youth Movement shows a confrontation between police and the demonstrators.
“The Ottawa police brutalized and attacked community members today and arrested a protestor dragging them out of the crowd. They shoved people at the back of the protest to force us onto the sidewalk. Every weekend protest has been on the streets. The police chose violence and escalation today,” the group said in an Instagram post.
Following the arrest on Saturday night, a rally was held in front of the Ottawa Police Service headquarters on Elgin Street to demand the release of one of the demonstrators taken into custody.
A rally protesting the actions of police continued on Sunday.
This weekend’s arrests come after police arrested four pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Monday for charges that included mischief, assaulting police and obstruction of a peace officer. Police continue to investigate and say more charges may be laid.
“While peaceful protest is a right, it comes with the responsibility to respect the law and ensure public safety,” police said on social media.