THE VOLK, SMITH WANTS TO PARDON Intelligence briefing note warned of 'anti-authority' elements at protests against COVID measures

Matthew Black - 

Demonstrations against COVID-19 health measures in early 2021 drew those with “anti-government and anti-authority” ideologies, according to a Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) briefing note.


Police line up between counter-protesters and anti-mask protesters during a rally at the Alberta legislature on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021.© Provided by Edmonton Journal

CISA acts as a central hub for strategic analysis and intelligence and operates as one of 10 independent bureaus under Criminal Intelligence Service Canada that provides information to the national law enforcement community.

The note – dated March 1, 2021, and marked as “confidential” and for “law enforcement purposes only” – indicates CISA was asked to report on “any observed increase in activity from radical, extremist, or sovereign citizens groups within Alberta due to resistance to COVID public health orders.”

It was acquired after a wait of more than 18 months through an access to information request to the RCMP, and following a formal complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada.

CISA expected COVID-19 rallies to continue

“COVID-19 related protests are expected to continue and it is expected that individuals holding anti-government and anti-authority ideologies will continue to attend,” it reads.

The information comes from CISA’s partner agencies in Alberta that include five local police forces, the RCMP and the Provincial Security and Intelligence Office.

At the time the note was crafted, the province was about to enter the pandemic’s third wave that would later claim the lives of nearly 400 Albertans and frustrate the provincial government’s efforts to roll back public health restrictions.

The note references media reports from a February 2021 rally at the Alberta legislature that saw multiple Edmonton police officers assaulted.

It also indicates the same event was attended by members of the Soldiers of Odin, a Finnish-founded far-right, anti-immigrant group as well as its Alberta offshoot, the Urban Infidels.

None of the officers were seriously injured.

More antagonism toward police

The note also cites anecdotal reports from police that opponents of COVID-19 restrictions were becoming increasingly antagonistic towards law enforcement, citing a “divided” response to crackdowns against churches that repeatedly flouted public health rules .

“Some law enforcement officers have reported a change in tone from groups that previously expressed support for police, such as becoming upset and lashing out at police when one of their members are arrested,” it reads.

“RCMP situation reports have described divided reactions from the public with some citizens expressing anger over a perceived lack of enforcement and others expressing anger over too much enforcement and a perceived disruption of lawful protests.”

Generally, the note’s authors found that notwithstanding those incidents, “the protest activity has been largely lawful and peaceful.”

Alberta’s COVID-19 death toll since the start of the ongoing pandemic surpassed 5,000 last week.

mblack@postmedia.com

Twitter @ByMatthewBlack

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