Documents detail scramble to protect Ambassador Bridge, Windsor-Detroit tunnel from protests

The Windsor Police Service, the City of Windsor and Mayor Drew Dilkens were aware of an organized effort to block the Ambassador Bridge in the southwestern Ontario city in February and started to make arrangements before it was shut down, according to newly released documents.

Those preparations included requests for additional officers from LaSalle and Chatham-Kent for a two-week deployment, inquiring if the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel could be used for truck traffic and searching for concrete jersey barriers to protect the tunnel crossing, the documents reveal. They were tabled this week as part of the ongoing inquiry examining the federal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to deal with convoy rallies in Windsor, Ottawa and other cities to protest pandemic mandates.

Notes from closed meetings that now have been made public also highlight what Windsor police considered "trigger points" for moving in on the protest and concerns about a "radical faction" among the protesters.

The Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) in Ottawa is working to determine whether the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to evict the protesters was justified.

The act went into effect the morning the Ambassador Bridge opened, following a week-long protest that blocked North America's busiest international border crossing.

Hundreds of protesters blocked the entrance and exit of the bridge on Feb. 7, mainly with personal vehicles and a couple of transport trucks.

This came following weeks of so-called "slow roll" protests under the Freedom Convoy banner, and included people who were against government pandemic mandates that limited who could cross the bridge into Canada and the United States. 

Feb. 4: 3 days before blockade

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) alerted the City of Windsor's chief executive officer of the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Corporation (WDTC) on the Friday morning before the protest, to warn about a possible blockade.

"While there is no information that I have been made aware of regarding protests at the tunnel, if any such blockade occurs at the Ambassador Bridge, we may see an increase in passenger traffic and those commercial vehicles that are able to utilize the tunnel," wrote the CBSA's Darrin Boismier to Carolyn Brown of the WDTC.

That afternoon, Brown forwarded the email to Windsor's chief administrative officer (CAO) and Andrew Ray, an alias Dilkens uses for his city email account. 

Brown also advised the city that most trucks wouldn't be able to use the tunnel because of its height.

Dilkens also texted Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino to let him know police were "preparing for a potential return of individuals who may attempt to block the bridge," according to a timeline of key events related to the blockade submitted to the commission.

Feb. 5: 2 days before blockade

The documents also reveal details about the early police plans to secure concrete jersey barriers ahead of a potential blockade, the same pieces of equipment the city used to block the length of Huron Church Road once the protesters left. 

Windsor police Insp. Jennifer Crosby wrote to the City of Windsor's executive director of operations in the early evening on Saturday, asking for barricades "on short notice to assist us in managing whatever we may be faced with in regards to the protests."

Shanwa Boakes replied to say the city "only has a couple available," but contractors might be able to help secure more. 

According to the city's timeline of events, Pam Mizuno, the police chief at the time, and Windsor fire department Chief Stephen Laforet met about the potential blockade, with Laforet asking for updates from Mizuno in his role as the city's emergency management co-ordinator.

Feb. 6: Day before the blockade

Late Sunday night, Brown inquired with Transit Windsor executive director Tyson Cragg about a request from Dilkens "to make alternative transportation arrangements for the medical staff who use the tunnel to get to work, in the event that the truck convoy tries to block the tunnel."

"I'm advised the plan is to station a Transit Windsor bus on the Windsor Tunnel Plaza in the Duty Free Shop parking lot," wrote Brown. 

But Cragg replied to say the plan likely wouldn't work. 

"At this point, we need some easing of the re-entry restrictions on the Canadian side to make this work," wrote Cragg. 

"We are standing by at the ready in the event we can make this work!"

Feb. 7: Day of blockade

In a morning meeting, a convoy-specific Community Control Group (CCG) made up of senior officials across emergency services in Windsor was told by Mizuno that protesters up to this point "have been very compliant, not blocking intersections and leaving a lane free."

But there was a warning that "this is a different group coming," and discussions turned to preparations and possible response, including barricades and towing. 

Emails exchanged between the CBSA and WDTC suggest that group was meeting in Comber and would head to the bridge at 10 a.m. ET.

That afternoon, the Canadian exit of the Ambassador Bridge was blocked by protesters, who parked a transport truck and personal vehicles in the southbound lane of Huron Church, and they remained in place until Friday afternoon. 

Protesters 'cordial,' but 'radical faction' exists: deputy chief

Then deputy chief and now Acting Chief Jason Bellaire oversaw the police response at the blockade, according to notes from a closed-door meeting of the Windsor Police Services Board that was held 24 hours after the Ambassador Bridge was shut down. 

That afternoon, Bellaire requested additional officers from Chatham-Kent and LaSalle.

A total of 11 officers were sent: 10 from Chatham-Kent and one from LaSalle.

Bellaire wrote in response to a question about how long the officers would be deployed that "we would like to at least plan for the next 14 days" and the protest had been "mostly non-confrontational with a couple of contentious moments" the first night of the blockade. 

"Interestingly, the majority of the protesters to this point have not really been from any anti-police pedigree. It is somewhat cordial," he wrote.

However, that night at the police board meeting, Bellaire noted "radical factions do exist in the group," according to meeting notes. 

Bellaire said "every police action will have a strong reaction," adding the police response would focus on diplomacy and negotiation. 

"Any escalation has to be calculated... physical escalation will be a last resort."

Dilkens, who chairs the police board, said Mizuno was submitting a request to the federal and provincial governments for 100 additional officers. 

In a later meeting of the CCG, Chief Laforet raised the Windsor Regional Hospital's fears of a potential blockade at the Windsor-Detroit tunnel, which staff use to commute to work.

Bellaire said they were not aware of any plans by protesters to block the hospital or tunnel, but added that kind of action would change police tactics. 

"Closing down access for emergency access is a trigger for a police response," Bellaire said, according to the notes.

"People that obstruct emergency access we take very seriously, and that steps outside the silo of negotiations on opening up traffic at the border."

During that same meeting, Brown noted the Department of Homeland Security in the United States had a tentative plan in place to protect the tunnel.

Protesters never moved to the tunnel. Days later, an influx of police officers with the Ontario Provincial Police and RCMP arrived and they would enforce an injunction granted by a judge to remove protestors. 

A total of 88 charges were laid against 44 people and multiple vehicles were towed away. 

Both Dilkens and Windsor police Deputy Chief Jason Crowley are expected to testify in November at the inquiry in Ottawa.