Toronto sees police presence, road closures after trucks in support of Ottawa protest turned away

Legislature Protective Service members guard the perimeter as police and city staff prepare for a convoy protesting public health measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 at Queen's Park this coming weekend, in Toronto, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

For the third Saturday in a row, Toronto police implemented extensive road closures around the city’s downtown area ahead of potential protests.

Using garbage trucks and transit buses, the goal, they say, is to protect infrastructure, keep access to hospital row clear and prevent a convoy of trucks similar to those in Ottawa from setting up.

“We had some trucks who came to the area in support of what’s going on in Ottawa, so we did move those trucks along,” Supt. Lauren Pogue said in an interview with CTV News Toronto Saturday afternoon.

Pogue said five or six trucks arrived in the Bedford Road and Bloor Street West area Friday night. From there, police made the determination to put in the closures, stretching from Davenport Road to the north, Queen Street to the south, Church Avenue in the east, Spadina Road in the west.

Toronto police watch over protest at Queen's Park (CTV Toronto)

“We’re certainly not intentionally trying to impede access to the downtown core. The information we are relying on is credible,” Pogue said.

Meanwhile, in the centre of that perimeter is Queen’s Park, where, for nearly two years, people have come together to protest against COVID-19 restrictions.

Police say these gatherings have been peaceful, but calls across the province to support one another continue and officers say they are monitoring closely.

Protestors gather at Queen's Park (Beth Macdonell/CTV News Toronto)

Organizer Kelly Ann Wolfe called the heavy police presence at the protest and around the city political interference.

“The trucks in Ottawa have no precedence on what happens to us. We are a completely different organization, but we do support the truckers and we are very grateful for what they have done, but you can’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch,” Wolf said.

For the past five weeks, the cold and snow hasn’t stopped Moses Ghang from joining Toronto actions. He came from China two decades ago.

“A little bit sad. Canada is more different than 20 years ago. We come here for freedom. Where did the freedom go?” he said

Compared to last weekend, more streets in the downtown core are open, police say.

The potential of protests added stress for one resident who had a hospital appointment downtown;

“A bit of a hassle, but what can you do,” the woman, who brought her husband to Princess Margaret Hospital, told CTV News Toronto.

While some living downtown are thankful the trucks are being kept out.

“Knowing that they couldn’t get there or to Queen’s Park made me feel the city was in a safer situation,” one woman, who was out walking her dogs, said.

Police said large trucks are dangerous to people walking and biking in a dense area and that the city can’t afford to have roads shutdown by actions supporting the protests.