Police stop attempt to expand encampment outside Manitoba legislature
Winnipeg police stopped an attempt by protesters Monday to enlarge an encampment that has been on the front lawn of the legislature for months, while the provincial government confirmed that some people attached to the camp have been recently arrested.
The encampment was set up in spring and has been adorned with signs and flags highlighting a variety of issues, from the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools to COVID-19 restrictions to conflict in the Middle East.
Originally there was one teepee. A second was added in the summer. The protesters had planned to build a third Monday and put out a call on social media for supporters to help them build a "law lodge."
When they arrived at the front entrance to the legislature grounds, they were met by a line of more than two dozen officers. Police vehicles, including two wagons each capable of carrying several people, were parked nearby.
"All you cops should go home and study the law," one protester told police.
"Go home to your families, go home to your children," said another.
Two people were seen being led away from an area near the encampment by police. The Winnipeg Police Service would not comment on whether any arrests were made, but Manitoba Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said there have been arrests recently.
"Over the past several weeks there has been an escalation of security concerns on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature," Goertzen said in a prepared written statement.
"These include verbal assaults and threats to staff, visitors and tourists to the building. During this time, security services have observed individuals in possession of weapons, body armour and military-style clothing. Public safety concerns prompted some arrests over the past few weeks."
A man trying to carry in a large teepee pole Thursday afternoon was turned back. Another pole that had been brought in earlier in the day was carried away by another protester after discussion with police. The standoff dissolved soon after.
The Progressive Conservative government has been faced with encampments since last summer. The first one, which is ongoing on the east lawn of the grounds, is in response to the discovery of unmarked graves at residential school sites.
In the winter, a group of truckers and their supporters parked on the street in front of the legislature for about four weeks before provincial conservation officers moved in and took away equipment.
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.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.