Ottawa - A Canadian soldier - accused of speaking out against COVID-19 vaccine mandates - will march through Ottawa on Thursday, beginning what organizers have promised, while residents fear a new wave of protests throughout the summer.

Reserve soldier James Topp was charged in February with two counts related to conduct to the detriment of order and discipline due to comments he made while wearing his military uniform, and since then he has been leading a four-month march to the capital from Vancouver.

His march has been supported by many of the same figures involved in the "Freedom Convoy" that rocked downtown Ottawa for weeks until police used force to end what the government described as an illegal occupation of the city center.

His arrival in the capital sparked promises of a new round of protests to start on Canada Day, and residents have since been on edge. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and interim city police chief Steve Bell promised to crack down on any illegal activity.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the police take their responsibility to keep people safe during Canada Day celebrations "very seriously."

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on those intending to protest in Ottawa this weekend to respect the law.

Addressing the public, he said, "Be considerate and respect others' rights. It's Canada Day, we are Canadians, let people have a good time and a safe time."

Ford added that he is disappointed to see such protests return to the capital.

"We are all for peaceful protests, and you can protest, just be peaceful and let the people of Ottawa enjoy the weekend."

The Canadian Health Ministry said that vaccines meeting strict safety, efficacy, and quality standards are the only ones approved for use in the country, and the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines still outweigh the risks of the disease.

Topp told Members of Parliament that the goal of his march is to cancel all vaccine mandates, as well as demand the reinstatement of anyone who lost their job due to this requirement and compensation for lost wages.

At the same time, he and others have raised the specter of civil war in the country.

The charges against Topp relate to two video clips posted online in winter showing the soldier criticizing vaccine mandates for military personnel and other federal employees.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are usually strictly restricted in the comments they can make while in uniform, especially when it comes to criticizing government policies, largely to protect the military from any possibility of politicization.

His lawyer said such restrictions should not apply to policies that personally affect members of the armed forces.

Topp said he does not plan to lead capital protests and called on Ottawa police to work with him to facilitate his planned march across the city to the National War Memorial.

However, an organizer for a group calling itself "Veterans 4 Freedom" said in a recently posted YouTube video that they plan to set up a semi-permanent camp east of Ottawa called "Camp Eagle" and hold events in the city throughout the summer.

While the police have since managed to prevent similar protests from taking over the city, preventing planned demonstrations from getting out of control during Canada Day is likely to be complicated due to the presence of thousands of people celebrating the holiday.

Mayor Jim Watson said during a press briefing earlier this week: "No group planning to disrupt the celebrations will intimidate us." "We are ready and will not tolerate any illegal activity by anyone."

Bell said the police are prepared for a number of different scenarios and will respond quickly to any illegal activity.

In late April, the Ottawa Police Services Board approved Bell's request to assign up to 831 officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to help with Rolling Thunder motorcycle events, making these assignments effective until July 4.

The city warns that violations will result in fines and vehicle towing if found violating no-parking zones.

Many Ottawa residents remain angry about how the city and police handled the "Freedom Convoy" protests, with several groups of residents coming together to begin investigating how the protest was managed.

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair