Cop Who Appeared To Support Anti-Vaccine Mandate Protesters In Viral Video Under Investigation

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer is under investigation after a viral video showed him allegedly expressing his support to anti-vaxxers in the ongoing Freedom convoy protest in Ottawa.

The video became sensational as the protests continue for the second week demanding an end to all pandemic mandates and restrictions.

The footage showing an unidentified officer speaking to the occupants of a vehicle during a traffic stop was shared on Tiktok by a user bamybearand. It has fetched more than 286,000 views and, at the time of writing, continues to be widely shared since it was posted Sunday.

At one point during the 3-minute clip, the officer could be heard talking to the occupants about the protesters in Ottawa. "I haven’t been to Ottawa but I’ve heard nothing but great things for our protesters...I get what you guys are doing. I support you guys 100 percent," the officer said.

Meanwhile, many viewers on Tiktok came in support of the officer for expressing his views in support of the protesters. "Now that is A True Canadian Police officer. The way they used to be," a viewer said. "I fully respect those types of officers.. the ones who do their job but keep respect for every side. good on you sir!!" another supported.

However, the video has also been slammed by many amid the criticism against the police for the way they have been handling the protest by anti-vaxxers in Canada, Toronto CTV reported.

"This is OPP pretty much cheering these people on as they get to Ottawa," Coalition against more surveillance, a group that shared the video on Twitter said.

The exact location at which it was shot is unclear from the video and the officials have not revealed the identity of the officer involved.

The OPP said they are aware of the video and have launched an internal investigation into the matter, adding that the opinions expressed in the video were not aligned with their values and have raised concerns about professionalism.

"We recognize that views expressed by the member have caused public upset," OPP said in a statement released on Twitter.

"The OPP’s role is to ensure public safety, enforce the law and keep the peace. While the OPP supports the right of people to conduct lawful demonstrations, it does not condone the current illegal activity or behavior. Under the recent province-wide state of emergency, those who defy the law will be held accountable," the statement further said.