"[The protest is] massive in scale, polarizing in content [and] dangerous in literally every aspect. We've done our very best. We've kept the city safe, we've kept our members safe and we will hold people to account to the best of our ability."

"There have been no injuries, no deaths, no riots in the last four days in the nation's capital, despite the fact that we have a global cause, national protest, tens of thousands of individuals for a wide variety of causes, who have gathered to actively demonstrate 24 hours a day..."

"You can take an enforcement attitude in the moment in that arrests could be made -- and, yes, that could have been a deterrent -- versus the ability to do that without being swarmed, without creating riotous behaviour without using force in a crowded area with trucks with their engines on. That's the equation."

"There are two different risk assessments that our officers have to make. I know the regular public don't necessarily appreciate or can't understand these dynamics, but that is the reality."

"If you have come here and committed a crime, if you have committed a hate crime, you will be investigated."

"We will look for you. We will charge you. And, if necessary, arrest you and we will proceed prosecutions against you."

"We have several active criminal investigations ongoing, from bribery to threats to assaults to dangerous operations of vehicles. They will continue."

Chief Peter Sloly, Ottawa Police Services

"I am used to protests, but this is not like other protests in this city."
"This is not what other protests are, which is marshalling people together for a clearly articulated cause, bringing attention to it, having some attention-drawing event to drive the conversation nationally for a couple of days and move the ball."

"But they're not doing that. This is an occupation and the['re clearly here to stay. They're not here to talk. They're here to disrupt and destabilize."

Tim Abray, communications consultant, resident, Golden Triangle, downtown Ottawa

"I know one wheelchair user who was assaulted this weekend. I've seen the TikToks, I've seen the photos. I've seen the videos of police glad-handing with the protesters, saying that they're welcome, they're great."

"I feel a lot of trust has been lost and broken, and I don't know how the Ottawa Police Service rebuilds that relationship with the community writ large after this."

"[There's a community in Centretown that has limited mobility at the best of times and is a lightning rod for abuse. We know that disabled women are disproportionately victims of abuse and there are people who are deaf, blind or have limited mobility who are essentially shut in their apartments right now, which is why I'm so-gob-smacked by the response."

Roisin West, downtown Ottawa resident, disability-rights advocate

"I don't have a job. And I can't get unemployment. I paid 23 years and I can't claim it."

"There is nothing left for the unvaccinated. That's why people from all over this nation have shown up." "And they're not leaving, either."

Protester Tyler Laplante, St.Catharines, Ontario

 

"People bring us food. They bring us propane, gas, everything we need."

"Those police over there? They asked us if we were parking here. 'You know you're gonna be stuck'."

"I said, 'Why would I care? I came here for that'."

Protester Dany Beauregard, Sorel-Tracy, Quebec

 

"[Incidents like the woman who danced on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disrespectful]. But that's not the vast majority of people that are here. They are terrible incidents."

"We all agree that's not what this is. Watching the news, I felt defeated."

"It was like they're not reporting what's actually here. This is beautiful. I haven't smiled this much in two years."

Protester Jessica Root, Warkworth, Ontario

Terry Fox memorial; indignity to a Canadian symbol of courage and integrity