On November 4, 2020 at 8:30 AM, the Ottawa Police Services Board will meet for the tabling of the 2021 Ottawa Police Services budget. Recent events in Ottawa just keep confirming that policing and police violence has real human costs that must stop. The police budget in Ottawa is five times the budget of Ottawa Public Health’s, but on October 14, 2020, during a pandemic, City Council voted down 20-4 a motion to reduce the size of the police budget increase and invest instead in public health.
We still have a chance to tell the city to #defundpolice. Please participate in our photo campaign to help CPEP send the OPS Board a strong message before the budget meeting on November 4!
Here’s how to participate:
Take a photo with your #defundpolice message. This can be a selfie or photo of you holding your message, a photo of your message chalked on a sidewalk, or another creative idea to get your message across in a picture (more details below).
Send your photo to cpep.defundthepolice@gmail.com by November 2, 2020.
Here’s what we’ll do:
On November 3, 2020, the day before the budget meeting, we’ll post all the photos we’ve received on CPEP’s social media accounts.
If you’re comfortable doing so, post your photo on your social media accounts on November 3, 2020. Tag CPEP and don’t forget to use the hashtags #defundpolice, #WeKeepEachOtherSafe, and #defundops.
Recently, Ottawa folks who have shared #defundpolice messaging have been subject to unwanted attention from the police. We recognize that BIPOC are at higher risk of being targets of police violence. If you don’t want your face to appear in your photo, consider wearing a mask, Halloween costume, or send your photo message without being in the photo at all. If there is anything we can do to support your participation, feel free to get in touch!
We can’t wait to see your photos! For further information please contact or check out CPEP on social media:
Twitter: @CPEPgroup
IG: @CPEPgroup
Facebook: CPEPGroup
Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/343546830047828/
Download a Press Release Here: Defund OPS Press Release
Click Here to request to speak on November 9th (don’t forget to add your name and signature to the email – Deadline to register is November 6th)
