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A bailiff attended a former church in Lowertown that’s now dwelling to The United Folks of Canada (TUPOC) on Wednesday threatening to alter the constructing’s locks and alleging that the group wasn’t paying hire.

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One of many bailiffs who served the discover of termination of tenant on Wednesday claimed TUPOC was late on its hire, didn’t have insurance coverage and was doing development on a heritage constructing with out permission.

“We’re appearing for the homeowners of the constructing to safe the premise and evict the tenants for lack of fee of the hire and different breaches,” mentioned Don, a Stop Bailiff Providers worker.

Don, who didn’t present a final title, mentioned in a quick cellphone interview that he went to the church web site on Wednesday night to ship a discover of termination of tenant however he was met with hostility.

“They have been aggressive, there’s little question about that,” he mentioned.

“They referred to as the police on us saying we have been trespassing,” he claimed. “The police, they don’t need to see issues escalate so we had a gathering and determined we’d return, see if the attorneys would determine it out.”

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Don returned on Thursday morning and posted the discover of termination of tenant on the church door, however he mentioned TUPOC supporters ripped it off.

He then posted it on the within of the artwork rectory door, the place it will be protected from being torn off. “The one entry is for the artists now,” he mentioned. “There’s a discover on the door there on the within that explains the entire thing.”

That discover says that TUPOC is being evicted for failing to pay $10,000 in hire, failing to offer proof of legal responsibility insurance coverage within the minimal quantity of $5,000,000, and for conducting development on a heritage constructing with out authorization.

Don mentioned the subsequent step could be “additional enforcement.”

Diane Nolan, one of many administrators of TUPOC, spoke to reporters on Thursday morning outdoors the previous St. Brigid’s church web site which the group now refers to as “the embassy.”

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“Yesterday we had a bailiff come and attempt to throw round a chunk of paper to say that we’re to go,” she mentioned.

Nolan mentioned the group was presupposed to pay its landlord hire by August 15. “I don’t know precisely the way it has gone down,” she mentioned. “It’s between attorneys. The police are engaged on it proper now.”

William Komer, one other TUPOC director, mentioned in a media launch that the bailiff got here to “unlawfully evict The United Folks of Canada from The Embassy.”

Komer mentioned the occasion precipitated as a result of rising tensions between TUPOC and its landlord after the group raised considerations about “breaches of the Ontario Human Rights Code by the property homeowners, together with, however not restricted to, what we perceive to be illegal reprisal in opposition to us for refusing to discriminate in opposition to individuals based mostly on their creed.”

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Komer mentioned TUPOC referred to as police “who rapidly got here to our assist, and an illegal eviction didn’t happen.”

“The United Folks of Canada have been, and stay to be, lawfully occupying The Embassy,” Komer wrote. “We’re at present awaiting the outcomes of the Ottawa Police Service investigation, and it’s our understanding that costs could also be laid in opposition to the property homeowners and/or their agent(s).”

Ottawa police mentioned officers have been referred to as to the constructing at roughly 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday as a part of a dispute between the owner and tenant.

“This was a civil court docket matter and police have been referred to as to be current and maintain the peace,” a police spokesperson mentioned. “There have been no additional incidents to report.”

After the Wednesday interplay with the bailiff, a number of TUPOC supporters issued callouts on social media asking for others to affix them on the “embassy” to protect in opposition to the doable return of the bailiff.

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TUPOC supporters on the St. Brigid’s web site on Thursday morning mentioned that they had stayed awake many of the night time, anticipating the bailiff.

Nolan mentioned the group had a “neighborhood watch” composed of supporters who take two-hour shifts to watch the grounds always.

The doable eviction of the group, which pitches itself as a “various intergenerational fraternal group” however whose messaging and members have been linked to the “Freedom Convoy” protests, was welcome information to some Lowertown residents.

As Nolan spoke to the media on Thursday morning, two individuals who reside within the space started to argue with the TUPOC supporters.

“I used to be very disturbed by the entire convoy. It affected my work,” mentioned one lady, who mentioned she lived close by and labored as an artist and didn’t need to share her title as a result of she feared for her security. She mentioned TUPOC’s occupation of the church introduced again hurtful reminiscences of being harassed in the course of the winter protests.

“Lowertown has so many points already,” mentioned a person who was with the girl and who additionally lived within the space. “We don’t want this one too. The homeless, the addicts, the petty crime, the drug dealing. We’ve bought all these points after which they arrive in.”