Police prepare for Occupy Ottawa

Ottawa police are gearing up for a weekend of protests which will see "Occupy Ottawa" demonstrators gather in Confederation Park, according to a police spokesperson.

The protests, which begin Oct. 15, are the Ottawa offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Supporters are calling for action on a range of issues, including social injustice, economic inequality, and corporate greed they say are causing global financial crises.  

No details of police approach will be made public before the protest, said Const. Marc Soucy.

The protest is gaining popularity on social media sites. The Occupy Ottawa community page has almost 1,750 “likes” on Facebook.

Ottawa police handle more than 100 demonstrations per year, and have strategies for keeping the peace, like cordoning off roads, Soucy added.