Ottawa man charged after Parliament Hill lockdown

Police say they’ve charged a 31-year-old Ottawa man with several offences following an incident that placed an area of Parliament Hill under lockdown on Saturday.

Ottawa police said in a media statement Sunday that a man entered East Block in downtown Ottawa at 2:40 p.m. Saturday and started issuing threats to those inside.

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Security officials isolated the man in a security screening area while police evacuated the building, which mostly houses offices for senators and their staff.

Police said the man surrendered peacefully after hours of negotiations.

Ottawa police did not identify the suspect in the release Sunday morning. Police said he was scheduled to appear in court later in the day.

The suspect was charged with two counts of breach of probation and one count each of public mischief and uttering threats to cause property damage.

Before the evacuation, police released a warning Saturday afternoon telling everyone in East Block to seek shelter in the nearest room, close and lock all doors, and hide.

Officials also shut down traffic along a stretch of Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill and eventually extended the exclusion zone one block south to Sparks Street.

The incident provoked a robust response from Ottawa police and the Parliamentary Protective Service, with canine and bomb disposal units called to the area.

No one was injured in the incident and no weapons, explosives or other hazardous materials were discovered.

Police said several packages were discovered in the area and were searched and cleared.

Ottawa Police Service Insp. Mark Bouwmeester told reporters Saturday evening that the circumstances of this incident were “suspicious” but provided little additional detail at the time.

Parliament Hill is mostly quiet this month due to the federal election.

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