Parliament Hill police mistakenly feared Freedom Convoy truckers were armed and would try to break into federal buildings. Legislators last night questioned why MPs and senators were permitted to walk freely among protesters if the convoy was considered violent..“It had moments of concern,” Larry Brookson, acting director of the Parliamentary Protective Service, testified at the Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency. “During those days of the occupation I had concerns about safety, particularly on our parliamentarians crossing Wellington Street.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, no MPs or senators reported being accosted by protesters. No convoy members were charged with any offence involving legislators, political aides or reporters who attended Parliament Hill daily during the blockade..“I came to the Chamber every single day during the convoy,” said Liberal MP Rachel Bendayan (Outremont, Que.). “I don’t recall every seeing anything come out that would make me fearful of what was happening in front of Parliament,” said Senator Vernon White (Ont.)..“Did you ever fear there would be a breach of the precinct?” asked Senator Peter Harder (Ont.). “That came around the 17th, the 18th of February,” replied Director Brookson. Police were preparing mass arrests of demonstrators at the time, he said. No protesters breached Parliament buildings..“I was happy in the end that nothing major came to play but it’s one of those things,” said Brookson. “I will always have to err on the side of caution when it comes to protecting Parliament.”.Brookson said he was worried Freedom Convoy protesters were armed. “The reality for me is I didn’t know what was in those vehicles and I had no means to verify what was in those vehicles,” said Brookson. “That was a constant security concern for me throughout the days of the occupation.”.No convoy member faced weapons charges. The Toronto Star last March 19 falsely reported: “A police source said loaded shotguns were found.” The Ottawa Police Service subsequently confirmed the story was incorrect..Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino warned that protesters were attempted rapists. “There were Ottawans who were subjected to intimidation, harassment, threats of rape,” Mendicino testified last February 25 at the Commons public safety committee..No convoy members were charged with attempted sexual assault. “The absence of criminal charges doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” said Mendicino..Conservative MP Raquel Dancho (Kildonan-St. Paul, Man.) earlier questioned why legislators were never warned to keep away from Parliament Hill if cabinet considered it unsafe. “I walked to West Block for two weeks past these protests,” said Dancho. “If there was such a threat to public safety, how could you have allowed Members of Parliament to walk by that protest every day?”.“It just doesn’t really add up,” said Dancho.
