Parliament Locked Down After Security Breach [WATCH]

A security incident involving a man who gained unauthorized access to Parliament Hill’s East Block triggered a full lockdown of Canada’s parliamentary precinct on Saturday afternoon, prompting a large-scale law enforcement response and shelter-in-place orders that remained active into the evening.

According to a statement released by Ottawa Police on X, authorities were called to the East Block of Parliament Hill, located on Wellington Street, shortly before 3:00 p.m.

.@PPS_SPP and @ottawapolice officers are on scene at Parliament Hill for a barricaded man in the area of East block. There is a large police presence in the area. East block has been evacuated. There are no known injuries and police continue to deal with an individual in this… https://t.co/i8iXRNmV2J

— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) April 5, 2025

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The East Block houses offices for Canadian senators and their staff.

The response included both Ottawa Police and the Parliamentary Protective Services, who evacuated the area shortly after arriving on scene.

At 2:45 p.m., the Parliamentary Protective Services issued a public alert advising anyone inside the building to “seek shelter in the nearest room, close and lock all doors and hide.”

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Local residents and visitors were also advised to avoid the area and locations under lockdown, according to a report from CTV News.

As of Saturday evening, Parliament Hill remained under a shelter-in-place order, with a significant police presence surrounding the buildings.

Canada — The barricade situation remains ongoing at Parliament Hill in Ottawa pic.twitter.com/FCjo7xS3XS

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 5, 2025

Officers with long guns were seen near the entrance, and police cordoned off the surrounding streets as part of the response.

Ottawa Police confirmed that the man had “gained unauthorized access” to the East Block and that the circumstances surrounding the incident were considered “suspicious.”

However, law enforcement officials released limited information about the nature of the threat.

“We are currently in contact with the individual and our priority is to resolve this situation peacefully,” said Inspector Mark Bouwmeester during a press briefing held Saturday night.

Bouwmeester added that “at this time there are no known injuries and we believe that the man is the only person inside the building.”

He did not indicate whether the suspect was armed or had made any specific threats to personnel inside the facility.

In response to the incident, security teams deployed specialized units in the area, including canine patrols.

Two bomb disposal robots were observed positioned outside Centre Block, though police did not confirm whether any explosive materials were suspected or discovered.

Canadian Senator Patrick Brazeau posted on X following the incident, writing, “Stay Safe Ottawa,” alongside a screenshot of the emergency alert issued earlier in the day.

🚨 Stay safe Ottawa. 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/bsuCsKfgMs

— Senator Patrick Brazeau -Algonquin 🇨🇦 (@senatorbrazeau) April 5, 2025

Parliamentary operations had already been suspended prior to the event, as the Parliament of Canada was officially dissolved on March 23 ahead of the country’s upcoming federal election.

As a result, no legislative sessions were underway at the time of the breach.

Ottawa Police also confirmed that road closures remained in place in the surrounding area.

Wellington Street was closed from Bank Street to Sussex Drive as of Saturday evening, and authorities advised the public to continue avoiding the area until further notice.

The investigation remains active, and police said further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.

The identity and motives of the individual involved have not been released.

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