Days before the so-called Freedom Convoy reached Ottawa, starting a weeks-long occupation of Canada’s capital and triggering a string of copy-cat blockades, the federal government was warned that violent extremist groups were deeply involved in the protest movement.
Intelligence assessments – prepared by Canada’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (Itac) and seen by the Guardian – warned in late January that it was “likely” that extremists were involved and said that the scale of the protests could yet pose a “trigger point and opportunity for potential lone actor attackers to conduct a terrorism attack”.
The assessments offer the first real glimpse into how federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have assessed the threat of Canada’s anti-vaccine and conspiracy theory movement.
A) It’s the Guardian
b) Why do I smell a barn burning?
Watch this video from start to finish. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino definitively says the people charged with firearms offences in Coutts are connected to far-right groups in Ottawa, but when challenged completely walks back the claim to an unrecognizable point. pic.twitter.com/1ziLUN5IPK
— Andrew Lawton (@AndrewLawton) February 16, 2022
