Queen’s Park is bracing for another major protest over the Ford government’s unpopular changes to the Ontario Student Assistant Program on Tuesday — a demonstration that’s being met with fresh warnings that vandalism and threats will not be tolerated.

In February, the Ford government said the province’s OSAP policy was projected to grow to an unsustainable $4.1 billion per year, requiring an overhaul to ensure the program was available for students in the future.

While students were previously entitled to receive a grant for up to 85 per cent of their support payment, the government changed the ratio, meaning students looking for help with education costs will now be forced to pay back 75 per cent of their OSAP loan.

The changes have sparked fierce protests from high school, university and college students who claim the province is burdening students with decades of debt — a hardship, they say, that’s exacerbated by low job prospects for young workers in Ontario.

An initial protest, however, eventually ended in a police confrontation, arrests and left the statue of George Brown vandalized, causing $5,000 in damage.

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In response, Speaker Donna Skelly ordered the rest of the statues at Queen’s Park to be wrapped with a protective tarp and warned the “thousands” of protesters expected on Tuesday to remain peaceful.

“They are more than welcome to attend and to come to Queen’s Park. I am just asking that please, please respect the law, respect the rules that are in place,” Skelly said.

“Don’t harm anybody on the property and don’t damage anything.”

Skelly said while the legislature has an “agreement” with Toronto Police to offer additional security during large-scale demonstrations, she rejected the notion that a police presence might heighten tensions.

“I mean, we’re dealing with adults and you know what the rules are. No one has the right to spit on someone, assault another person or damage property,” Skelly said.

During Question Period, opposition parties accused the government of “piling on” young people and called the Progressive Conservatives to reverse the changes.

“The debt of young people and their families who are trying to get a degree, a diploma or a trade. And that’s because that guy over there decided that he was going to break OSAP,” said interim Liberal leader John Fraser.

Ford defended his government’s position and touted the tuition freeze in 2018.

“When we came into office we knocked 10 per cent off tuition. We kept that tuition down for eight years,” Ford said.

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