Five more charged after encampment removed at Manitoba Legislature
The Winnipeg Police Service has charged five more people after an encampment was cleared at the Manitoba Legislature on Tuesday.
Police announced Wednesday that they had charged five people with obstructing a peace officer and occupying a tent or portable structure on the legislative grounds after they failed to leave the north encampment on the grounds.
The five charged were Trina Francois, 45; Daniel Jones, 43; Phillip McLennan, 50; Gregory Pittman, 50; and Owen Hall, 54.
This comes a day after seven people were arrested and charged during the removal of the encampment. The WPS said Tyler Demarchuk, 27; Patrick Neilen, 34; Aaron Lee Dumas, 45; Eduardo Alberto Barahona, 55; Krystal Lisa Kerriann Jensen, 35; Monique Cusson, 36; and Ashley Catcheway, 39; were charged with obstructing peace officers and depositing items in the legislative precinct that support extended stay.
None of the charges against any of the 12 arrested have been tested in court.
Police said they also seized multiple weapons from the encampments, including three axes, a machete, a hammer, a spear, body armour, and a three-foot club.
Officers began removing the camp one day after occupants were allegedly bringing in building materials to build a new teepee to expand the camp. Approximately 40 police officers were involved in the removal of the camp, and fencing is now around the site.
'AN EROSION OF COOPERATION'
Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said in a statement on Monday that security concerns had escalated over the past few weeks, citing verbal assaults and threats to staff and visitors.
Supt. David Dalal with the Winnipeg Police Service said police had been in contact with people at the encampment, and that there had been a change in the recent interactions.
“What we saw was an erosion of cooperation and an increase in both rhetoric and aggression and a complete unwillingness to be reasonable about restricting expansion around the camp,” he said.
The government passed a law in the spring that forbids encampments on the legislature grounds and bans people from supplying generators, firewood, and other goods.
People who break the rules can be evicted from the grounds and face fines of up to $5,000.
With files from CTV’s Katherine Dow and Jeff Keele
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.