Ottawa's interim police chief will provide an update today on preparations for the "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" event in Ottawa next weekend, as community groups demand the police service withdraw planning and logistical support from the organizers.
 

Nearly 500 to 1000 motorcycles and other vehicles are expected to participate in the "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" event, scheduled to move into the city on Friday.
 

The Rolling Thunder Ottawa website states that a "march" is scheduled at the Parliament building at 6 p.m. on Friday.

The event's schedule for Saturday includes a Veterans for Freedom service at the National War Memorial, a bike ride to downtown Ottawa, and then a gathering and march in front of the Parliament building.

There is no information on the "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" website about the group or the reasons for the event next weekend.

However, among the partners of Rolling Thunder Ottawa are Veterans for Freedom and Freedom Fighters Canada, which demand an end to all government mandates regarding COVID-19 in Canada.

Ottawa police told local media in Ottawa last Thursday that the police continue to prepare for the planned demonstration, and interim chief Steve Bell will provide an update on police preparations for the event at the Ottawa Police Services Board meeting on Monday, scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

Local community groups say they oppose the "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" march planned for Ottawa and call on the police to stop working with the organizers of this event.

Horizon Ottawa said on Twitter, "We are calling on Ottawa Police to stop providing logistical support to the far-right "Rolling Thunder" convoy coming to Ottawa next weekend, until the Ottawa City Council takes leadership and condemns this action."

Petition for community support

The Ottawa Community Solidarity organization claims that the "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" march is not a "motorcycle ride in support of veterans."

The community group opposing this march said in a statement this weekend: "It is a somewhat convincing extension of the anti-democracy 'Freedom Convoy' occupation in Ottawa in February, and this constitutes a direct threat to our community. The far-right politics that come with it pose a broader threat to our safety and democracy."

The "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" event began in the city just over two months after the end of the "Freedom Convoy" demonstration that occupied downtown streets for more than three weeks, where Wellington Street remains closed to vehicles between Bank Street and Elgin Street.