By Canadian Press

RCMP says Ottawa protesters, not donors to Freedom Convoy, had accounts frozen

Mar 7, 2022 | 4:05 PM

OTTAWA — Assistant RCMP Commissioner Michel Arcand says the Mounties only gave the names of people directly involved in Ottawa protests to banks to freeze their accounts 

Arcand is appearing at the House of Commons finance committee today during its study of the government’s use of the Emergencies Act to bring an end to blockades in Ottawa and several border crossings.

He says the RCMP did not send banks the names of any people who only donated to the Freedom Convoy or names of people involved in protests outside Ottawa.

Hundreds of demonstrators blockaded roads in Ottawa for more than three weeks last month, and similar demonstrations blocked four major border crossings in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

Arcand says the intelligence about who was involved in the Ottawa protests was gathered by the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police and Ottawa police before the names were given to banks. 

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Arcand says the accounts were frozen to encourage protesters to leave and to discourage others to join the protests.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2022. 

The Canadian Press