Police arrest 11 protesters at CANSEC military trade show

Protesters picketing outside the EY Centre on Uplands Drive and trying to block the entrance to CANSEC, a major arms show that happens in Ottawa every year. Photo by Tony Caldwell /PostmediaArticle content

Ottawa police said they arrested 12 protesters outside the CANSEC military trade show Wednesday morning.

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The Ottawa Police Service’s public order unit cleared demonstrators around 10:30 a.m. after the police liaison team “made numerous attempts to have the protestors co-operate,” OPS wrote on the social media site X.

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The protesters were arrested for “mischief and assaulting police,” the OPS said.

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Another demonstrator was later arrested outside Ottawa Police Service headquarters on Elgin Street for “causing a disturbance,” bringing the total number of arrests to 13.

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The protest had blocked Uplands Drive near the EY Centre, where the military trade show was being held. The street reopened later.

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Protesters picketing outside the EY Centre on Uplands Drive. Photo by Tony Caldwell /PostmediaArticle content

“Freedom of expression has reasonable limits to protect citizens, property and businesses from disruptive or unlawful,” the OPS wrote on X.

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Later in the day, a release from police said that protestors had been wearing “identity-concealing clothing and masks” and “dumping paint on the roadway.”

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Demonstrators were also “observed filling disposable water bottles with paint, which they reportedly were to be used to target police officers,” the OPS said.

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A conference attendee was also assaulted in the area, the release added, resulting in minor injuries. The victim was treated at the scene by paramedics.

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The arrested protesters were held in custody and were set to appear in court on May 29.

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The protest organizers had said they expected around 200 to 300 demonstrators at the major arms show in Ottawa this week.

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The protest arrives at a time when Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to increase military spending because of ongoing wars and international security concerns.

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Police arrested 11 protesters Wednesday morning. Photo by Tony Caldwell /PostmediaArticle content

More than 12,000 people were expected to attend CANSEC, which attracts military and government personnel, diplomats and industry representatives.

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Last year, there were 265 exhibitors involved in the show. This year that has increased to 285, Christyn Cianfarani, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen.

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Brent Patterson, a peace activist who helped organize the “Shut Down CANSEC” protests, told the Citizen previously that a number of companies exhibiting at this year’s event were supplying weapons to Israel for its operations in Gaza.