Ottawa police don protective gear, firearms arresting protesters
Police in Canada’s capital city on Saturday donned helmets and batons and at times brandished firearms as officers worked to clear out protesters associated with the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday invoked the nation’s emergencies act to clear out the demonstration, which has dragged on for about three weeks as truckers and demonstrators protested a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“The blockades and occupations are illegal,” Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament on Thursday. “They’re a threat to our economy and relationship with trading partners. They are a threat to supply chains and the availability of essential goods, like food and medicine. They’re a threat to public safety.”
On Friday night, Ottawa Police said officers had made more than 100 arrests and towed 21 vehicles.
The news follows last weekend’s clearing out of the largest Freedom Convoy blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, connecting Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, when police arrested the last of the demonstrators.
The Freedom Convoy protests have been mimicked in other countries, including New Zealand and France.
Updated 1:39 p.m.
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