I don't think it's over yet...

[dewline]

...though things in Centretown and the Parliamentary Precinct seem to have gone quiet enough for the night.

We've had at least one reporter ducking beer-can tosses. (A reporter I actually got to say "hello" to once.)

We've had a helicopter violating federal no-fly zones. (Whose pilot ought to be losing their license and soon, over this.)

We've had Confederate, Trumpist and Nazi flags carried by "protestors" alongside the Gadsden flag in the core.

We've had people jumping up and down on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

We've had the statue of Terry Fox on Wellington Street repeatedly desecrated today.

We've had His Trumpness endorsing those bad actors at his latest Nuremberg Stunt tonight.

I've had enough.

I had to pass within breathing distance of several people who looked very much like they were lining up at Blair Station to board the O-Train to join the "fun" downtown, and I was not able to keep my cool about it. Fortunately, we all had other places to be and quickly. (I'm hearing that the Confederation Line was having issues again today, so they might not have gotten there.)

This has not been the best day, despite my staying clear of the epicentre of the mess.

Comments

[lilysea]

I didn't know who Terry Fox was

Wiki says

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. After losing his leg to cancer at only 18 years of age, Terry set out to do the impossible: run across Canada, one marathon a day, in pursuit of his dream to find a cure for cancer

is that the guy the statue is of?

and if so what THE FUCK were they objecting to about him?

[sabotabby]

Yes. And he's one of the few figures that all Canadians, regardless of political beliefs, can agree was a good dude and did good things. Given that he was immunocompromised from cancer, it's pretty clear which side he'd have been on if he was alive today!

But I don't think they were necessarily objecting to anything. Either they were Americans and didn't know who he was, or they were just like "hurr durr let's trash things."

[dewline]

Sadly, we do have the "let's trash things!" crowd among us, home-grown. They've been here all along.

[dewline]

The desecration took the form of multiple attempts to co-opt the statue for the "cause".

https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2022/01/29/terry-fox-statue-defaced-in-ottawa-sparking-condemnation.html

[sabotabby]

I'm glad you're staying clear. I saw some videos of people being assaulted by these fash.

[dewline]

I think there's video of the beer-can toss aimed at Evan Solomon.

[sabotabby]

I also saw footage of them harassing a hotel manager who didn't want them using the bathroom without a mask (apparently they later came back and assaulted him) and taking over a Tim Horton's. A friend of mine there reported that the went into a Good Samaritan and stole food that was supposed to be for homeless people. Now they are barraging her mentions because she posted the Confederate flag picture.

[dewline]

I've seen the hotel lobby footage you refer to. Horrible.

Same for the rest of it.

[sabotabby]

I also need people to understand that not wearing a mask and then going into an unventilated space and shouting at a minimum wage worker who has no sick days is actually violence and anyone who does this needs to be charged with attempted murder.

[ex_flameandsong751]

I was yesterday years old when I found out who Terry Fox is and it sickens me that these idiots would desecrate a statue of him. Like... what the hell did Terry Fox ever do to you, guys?

I'm sorry that it seems like my country's brand of crazy is spreading northward to yours [or at least emboldening it, if it' always been a problem]. These fascists are disgusting.