#ShutDownCANSEC
How Ottawa Police used violence against peace activists trying to shut down North America’s largest weapons convention
One-Stop Shop War Convention
Every year, Ottawa plays host to CANSEC, North America’s largest weapons convention, where the world’s most powerful war profiteers gather to showcase the latest in weapons technology. Organized by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), this year’s event was held at the EY Centre on May 28th and promoted as a “one-stop shop for first responders, police, border and security entities and special operations units”.
For years, World Beyond War Canada has organized protests outside the event in an effort to expose and disrupt Canada’s increasingly prominent role in the arms trade. With the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza entering its 21st month and the Canadian government’s refusal to impose a full two-way arms embargo on Israel, this year’s Call to Action carried heightened significance and urgency for organizers. After all, most of the companies featured in the BDS campaign were there, as well as representatives from the Israeli military itself.
As expected, many activists heeded the call to #ShutDownCANSEC. Over a hundred protestors showed up, many wearing keffiyehs, holding banners, and playing drums. At one point, activists successfully blocked the roadway leading into the event and partially disrupted pedestrian access to the convention. Red paint was splattered in the street in front of a line of seated protestors, while others chanted and waved flags behind them. The protestors’ message was clear: #ArmsEmbargoNow and Free Palestine.
Ottawa Police were also there to send a message.
As reported to us by Gee, a legal observer with the Orange Hats, and evidenced in supplied photographs, police deployed an overwhelming number of officers from various forces in anticipation of the protests - outnumbering peace activists by 3 to 1.
Predictably, this led to police violence, arrests, and injuries to peaceful protestors. In the audio provided below, Gee details these interactions which appeared aimed at escalating tensions and intimidating activists. On top of pushing and shoving, two people were seen being “choked by Police”, with at least one participant requiring hospital treatment.
Kettling, the practice where police fully surround a group, was also used to isolate and arrest several activists. This happened when the number of protestors had diminished, nearer to the end of the action.
Listen to Orange Hats Legal Observer, Gee, report in from the action.
In total, 15 protesters were arrested, most during the protest itself and at least one during the jail support rally outside the police station where arrestees were held. While interviewing Gee, we heard chants from protesters and supportive honks from passing drivers. In the end, the police’s intimidation tactics failed; demonstrators remained determined and defiant.
Once again, the legal process itself serves as punishment.
Those arrested will likely face charges, restrictive bail conditions, and public exposure of their personal details - all for engaging in peaceful protest. To support the arrestees, World Beyond War is calling for donations to their legal defense fund (see Call to Action below).
As legal observers noted, the demonstrations took place in a public space, a legitimate site for protest, yet police still used violence and arrests to suppress dissent. This shows what law enforcement and the authorities are willing to do, even without restrictive protest bubble zone laws to justify their actions.
As we’ve reported before, while such charges are often ultimately dropped or dismissed, the legal process itself serves as punishment - draining resources and testing community solidarity.
In the end, the goal isn’t convictions but to intimidate protesters into submission and scare the rest of us into compliance. We won’t let them.
Call to Action
Donate to the legal defence of those arrested via e-transfer to L4PCanada@gmail.com - use note “community defence”
Other Related Episodes
Support Systems Amid State Suppression - Dalia Awwad and Rachelle Friesen, members of the Toronto Legal Support Committee, discuss oppressive tactics being used by Police and their impact on individuals and the larger movement.
Disrupting Canada’s Arms Trade - Interview with Rachell Small of World Beyond War Canada discusses the organization's work to disrupt the military industrial complex and challenging the culture of war using a variety of tactics.
More Resources
More on Canada’s role in the arm’s trade: https://worldbeyondwar.org/canada/
Campaign to demand the Canadian government impose a full, immediate arms embargo on Israel: https://armsembargonow.ca/
More on CANSEC: https://www.defenceandsecurity.ca/CANSEC/
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