A new report alleges that Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers participating in the destruction of the Freedom Convoy protest exchanged messages about the level of brutal force they would use on protesters.
In what The New York Times described as a “show of force,” Canadian authorities cleaned out the Freedom Convoy protest site in Ottawa on Saturday, resulting in 170 arrests.
On Saturday, Rebel News released several screenshots of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) text messages that show members bragging about their brutal use of force as authorities crackdown on peaceful protesters in Ottawa.
The screenshots show a conversation between RCMP Musical Ride team members who are currently deployed in Ottawa to assist with the police crackdown. In the chat, RCMP officer Andrew Nixon encourages other members of the group to show even more brutality towards the protesters, telling them that it’s “time for the protesters to hear our jackboots on the ground.” Nixon also sent a picture of himself holding up a beer while expressing his hope that he will get a chance to assault the protesters.
“Don’t kick all of them out until next weeks [sic] group gets our turn,” Nixon wrote.
In another example, a member named Marca claimed that the incident in which a group of RCMP officers on horseback trampled two citizens, one of which was an elderly woman with her walker, was “awesome” (with three exclamation marks).
Wow. Instead of being horrified, like most people when they see someone getting crushed by a horse, Marca concluded that it’s actually something that she would like to be practiced by officers.
“just watched the horse video – that is awesome!!!”
we should practice that manoeuvre”
Officer Nixon chimed back in with his support: “Agreed!!!”
In a separate exchange, a video of the horse incident is sent into the group for them to view. An officer named Scott Peever also approves of the vicious use of force, saying simply “that’s awesome.” RCMP officer Chris Russell also jumps in at this point to seemingly lament over himself missing out on the “dream” that would be trampling his fellow citizens with a 1,250lb horse.
“We only think we are living the dream,” Russell said.
In addition to these officers showing their true colors, some also discussed the luxurious accommodations the RCMP has enjoyed during their stay in Ottawa. Several group members sent in pictures of the lavish digs at “Chateau Laurier,” which is a hotel many of them are staying at.
“Nice Downtown in Chateau Laurier,” Member Robin Thibault said along with a photo.
If it’s so nice – try thanking the taxpayers, not beating them.
Others tagged photos of themselves sitting in the hotel – after a long day of beating and assaulting their fellow citizens – with the hashtag “Heroes.”
The tactics of the day were such that Ottawa police published a Twitter post asked members of the public to stop calling emergency numbers “to express displeasure about the police action to remove an unlawful assembly downtown.”
