This Saturday marks Remembrance Day in Canada, and Victoria will do their part to honour veterans during their annual parade and ceremonies on November 11th.
After an incident in which a man was arrested last year, VicPD has emphasized the need for CCTV cameras and traffic closures to minimize risk and disruption during these events.
Before the ceremony on November 11th, police will be installing these temporary cameras as well as enforcing road closures for Saturday’s Remembrance Day Parade and ceremony.
The road closures will begin at around 9:30 a.m. the morning of November 11th and will be in effect until approximately noon.
The roads included in the list of closures are as follows:
- Government Street from Fort Street to Superior Street
- Belleville Street from Menzies Street to Douglas Street
- Wharf Street from Fort Street, through Humboldt Street to Gordon Street
- Along Esquimalt Road from Admirals Road to Memorial Park
For those trying to access the Fairmont Empress, the driveway will be open with restricted access between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and again from 11:30 a.m. until 12 p.m.
Access to the Coho Ferry terminal will be maintained, however, delays are expected, so plan to arrive with plenty of time.
The cameras in combination with police presence are to minimize traffic disruption as much as possible and to ensure public safety during the Remembrance Day demonstrations.
Last year, there was a brief disruption during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in downtown Victoria where a man was arrested.
In a video recording, the man is depicted yelling at police and attendees and yelling about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
Full article: Police arrest man who disrupted Remembrance Day ceremony in Victoria (VIDEO)
Following the incident, VicPD confirmed two officers escorted the man out of the area where the ceremony was being held, he was then arrested, and then began trying to “fight with officers.”
He was taken to cells and faced recommended charges for assaulting a police officer and mischief.
“He was transported to cells and faces recommended charges of assaulting a police officer and mischief,” said VicPD.
Similar to previous years, the CCTV cameras will be taken down following the ceremony and traffic will return to its normal flow.
If you’re looking for a place to honour veterans this Remembrance Day, we have compiled a list of ceremonies and events happening across Greater Victoria.
