'Rolling Thunder' Motorcycle Rally Set To Come To Ottawa Next Week & Police Are Preparing
It's going to be a loud one.
It looks like the citizens of Ottawa may need to get their earplugs out again because "Rolling Thunder," a motorcycle demonstration, is set to come into town next week.
The rally is planned for April 29 and April 30 and will bring bikers to Ottawa to "peacefully celebrate" freedom and to lay down a wreath, according to a post on Freedom Fighters Canada's website.
In a video attached to the post, an individual referred to as "brother Neil" emphasized that the event will not be "Freedom Convoy 2.0" — a demonstration that occupied Ottawa for weeks in January and February 2022 in protest of government mandates.
"What we are there to do is to celebrate our freedom. We are going to put a wreath at the foot of the monument. This is not a protest of the government. We've already done that and exposed them, so this is about bikes," said Neil.
Ottawa police told Narcity that they are aware of the impending demonstration and "continue to prepare for the planned demonstration (Rolling Thunder) on April 29th and 30th."
"The Interim Chief will be providing an update to the Board and public on Monday as part of his verbal report," Constable Paramjit Singh said.
The planned demonstration has been promoted by Freedom Fighters Canada and Veterans 4 Freedom.
In a video posted to Veterans 4 Freedom's Facebook account, Neil further explains that riders are taking to Ottawa to reclaim the war memorial by laying a wreath down after veterans were allegedly removed from the area "by force" during the Freedom Convoy.
"They desecrated that, so what we are going to do. We are going to lay a wreath."
"It's going to be loud, so bring some earplugs," Neil added.
During the Freedom Convoy demonstration, Ottawa police asked demonstrators to leave the city or possibly face arrest or other consequences and said they were prepared to use lawful techniques that aren't commonly used to bring the occupation to an end.
Narcity reached out to the organizers of the event for comment and did not receive a response in time for publication.