Ottawa, ON — The Independent Press Gallery of Canada (IPG) is condemning in the strongest possible terms the violence, intimidation, and harassment directed at independent journalists in Ottawa on Friday, during coverage of a peaceful demonstration led by child-safeguarding activist Billboard Chris Elston.
Independent journalists Caryma Sa’d, Chris Dacey, Rebel News journalists Alexa Lavoie and Guillaume Roy, and others, were targeted by radical protesters identifying with Antifa, Black Bloc, and other extremist groups. Journalists were shoved, blocked from filming, followed, threatened, and verbally harassed as they attempted to document a peaceful protest on a matter of pressing public interest.
Footage published to X clearly shows these organized and aggressive efforts to silence media coverage.
Disturbingly, Ontario NDP candidate Joel Harden was present among the violent counter-protesters. His attendance raises serious concerns about elected officials aligning themselves — even passively — with groups that seek to bully and silence members of the free press through intimidation tactics.
The IPG reminds all political leaders and the public that freedom of the press is not conditional on political approval. Journalists must be able to work without fear of violence or harassment, regardless of who or what they are covering.
We call on all political parties — particularly the NDP — to publicly condemn the intimidation of journalists and reaffirm their commitment to press freedom for all.
Sheila Gunn Reid
President, Independent Press Gallery of Canada