What evidence is there that that was real? An allegation was made on Twitter, but only thing I've found that digs into the details looks like a complete debunking (see links at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30336974). It's from a biased source and I'm open to any factual refutation, but I've looked for contrary reporting that digs into the details, and haven't found any. Only a lot of repetition of the original allegation.
And of course the protests a year before were in no part better.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/police-arson-unit-probes-otta...
"We don’t have any direct linkage between the occupation—the demonstrators—and that act." [1]
[1]https://www.cpac.ca/episode?id=fa5721d6-af8b-48d9-9848-73dcf...
What that likely means is that they don't know who the people in the video are. It seems pretty likely to me that it's related to the occupation, especially since there was a 'confrontation' earlier that day with residents of the building. It's not like buildings are burnt down in Ottawa every day.
No building was burnt down.
This is one of several accounts I use because my personal identity is tied to my main account, and accusations like the above concern me when I know there are vigilantes out there who find joy in doxing people with different political leanings than them. Rest assured I've been a member of this community since 2014, I'm not one of the dreaded "alt-right trolls" some users are so comically paranoid of.
On that note, I'm not really sure what's alt-right about repeating a quote from an investigating officer, but then again, most people who use that phrase aren't being intellectually honest anyway.
Those demonstrations were mostly peaceful according to those we are supposed to listen to, so obviously the current demonstrations are even more peaceful.
Edit: I'm triple vaccinated myself and recommend it for everyone else, but if we have freedom to choose that also must include freedom to do what I think is less smart.
In fact I think at this point the attempt to force people to vaccinate is scaring people away from it.
In any case afaik no actual tie to the protests has been reported.
Kind of like almost everyone in the US and Canada for a period of almost a year thanks to governmental policies?
Another way to look at things is these protests will indirectly help flatten the curve, especially if they go on for two more weeks.
This is false and I would expect better of HN posters.
A group of the protestors locked the doors to a downtown apartment building with handcuffs and then attempted to set that building on fire.
Although nobody has been injured yet, there have been plenty of weapons seizures as well as incidents of protestors ramming police vehicles and/or attempting to arrest police officers.
Residents of Ottawa are scared to leave their homes for simple tasks like buying groceries because the protestors have assaulted vulnerable individuals for wearing masks.
The entire thing is a tinderbox just waiting for one unhinged protestor to make a wrong move. And even if we escape this incident peacefully, there are the toxic diesel fumes from idling trucks which have been polluting downtown Ottawa's air for the last two weeks and are likely to become trapped in the urban environment.