Owners of a cafe in Ottawa were told by police their windows would be smashed and they would be arrested for staying open during the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa, the event was recorded by a customer on the inside of the shop.
On Sunday, February 20, a group of police officers showed up at the Iconic Cafe, where owners
Enrico and Deborah Kuhn refused them entry.
“I’m not opening the door. I don’t trust you,” said Enrico through the glass.
The Kuhns kept refusing until the cops backed off, taking their chances on whether they would break in or not.
“I don’t care,” said Enrico to the cop’s demands.
“This is my property, I can decide who I let on here.”
He explained the police later claimed they were there for inspection and threatened to take away his business licence for life.
“They don’t have a warrant, and they want to inspect, inspect what? That was an excuse. Inspection is never done on the weekend, only on weekdays,” said Enrico.
“I said ok, what do we have to lose anyway? I have nothing left after this, so I don’t comply to them.”
Enrico said despite the bullying and scaring tactics, his faith kept him strong and he was not afraid.
The city of Ottawa has issued statements saying the protests have been harmful to small businesses, blaming the protest for forcing them to close.
Toronto resident Gregory Zajac attended the Ottawa protest a week before the Emergencies Act was invoked.
Zajac said only the businesses on Wellington Street — the same street as Parliament —were closed.
“From what I saw, businesses were open other than on the street directly going to Parliament,” he said.
The Iconic Cafe is four blocks away from Parliament Hill and was open until the police showed up on Sunday.
Owners did not get back to the Western Standard in time for publishing.
Ewa Sudyk is an Alberta Reporter for the Western Standard and Alberta Report based in the Calgary Headquarters, and the Finance & Administration Manager for Western Standard New Media Corp.
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