People crossing Veterans Memorial Bridge or driving by Allen Park in Ottawa Monday during the noon hour saw the police presence, but not the protest they were there for. The demonstrators planned to rally in the park against the state closing parks, businesses, and various other services. WCMY News found them in the River Rescue parking lot, deciding what to do after it was clear they couldn’t get into the park.
Police Chief Brent Roalson says police were in place to keep traffic moving and keep people out of a closed park, not to shut down a demonstration. An online message over the weekend encouraged people to jam up traffic on Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Roalson says the demonstrators could have used the Jordan Block. It’s still open and highly visible. And he’s not against them protesting.
Roalson says the demonstrators never contacted police, so he never got to tell them about the alternative. Ultimately, no demonstration happened.
A police car and tow trucks were stationed at the Allen Park entrance during the noon hour Monday. Tow trucks were ready to haul cars out of the way if they blocked traffic. Nothing like that happened.
Police Chief Brent Roalson says he would have let protesters park here and demonstrate on the Jordan Block.
Even though a barricade suggests it’s closed, Police Chief Brent Roalson says he would have directed demonstrators to use the highly visible Jordan Block.
Dan Meagher, one of the people who would have demonstrated Monday, drove by the Allen Park entrance. He says the Trump flag is to show support for the President during a national emergency.