More noise tickets handed out to pro-Palestine protesters in Ottawa

Pro-Palestine protesters march on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Jan. 7, 2024. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa Bylaw confirms three more fines for violating the city's noise rules were handed out this weekend to pro-Palestine protesters in the capital.

The march on Sunday was the 14th consecutive protest in Ottawa since Hamas's deadly attack in Israel on Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people. Hamas also took more than 250 people hostage. The attack prompted Israel to launch retaliatory airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, which have so far killed more than 22,000 people.

The protesters in Ottawa have been calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza for weeks and for Canada to stop arms sales to Israel.

Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) Director Roger Chapman said in a statement that nine verbal warnings were also handed out.

"This past weekend, BLRS officers prioritized education by issuing nine verbal warnings for operating a sound reproduction device on a highway or public place prior to officers issuing three Provincial Offence Notices for the same charge," Chapman said.

Bylaw handed out nine noise fines during the Dec. 30 protest and three during the Dec. 23 protest. The tickets are for the use of sound amplification devices. Each fine is for $490.

Sarah Abdul-Karim with the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement said on Sunday that the protests in Ottawa would continue.

"We plan on continuing to raise our voices for our people in Palestine because despite the noise violation tickets, we know our people are suffering way worse; they're still dying every single day," she said.

The Palestinian Youth Movement said it plans to fight the fines in court.

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's William Eltherington.