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Throughout the day, over 100 arrests have been carried out against blockade participants, including part of its leadership, while 21 trucks have been towed away
On Friday, Ottawa police carried out an operation aimed to put an end to the anti-vaccine protests with the support of several law enforcement agencies. The authorities have moved along Colonel By Drive, Sussex Drive, Mackenzie Avenue, and Rideau and Wellington streets in "public order units" arresting protesters and towing vehicles.
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The demonstrators have been forced out of their vehicles, and authorities have arrested those that refused to move, one by one before they were taken away by pairs of officers. On Friday afternoon the Interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell approved the Emergencies Act, Ontario state of emergency and local state of emergency and injunction for providing tools to help officers deal with those involved in riots.
"Without the authorities that have been provided to us through these pieces of legislation, we wouldn't be able to be doing the work we are today," Bell stated. On Friday evening, Ottawa authorities posted on Twitter, that officers are being assaulted as they try to dismiss the occupation, and witnessed the attempt of the protesters for taking officers' weapons.
The police's statement revealed that the Officers were mounted in order to "create critical space" between protesters and police, during the attempt, one person threw a bicycle at one of the horses, being arrested as well. Bell had said, about one hour before the post that the officers have been "nothing short of exceptional" handling protesters in the face of taunts and slurs.
Toronto police warn of heavier presence downtown this weekend amid ongoing convoy protests in Ottawa https://t.co/hjt9MeNSbm
— Dave Agar (@dave1agar) February 19, 2022
According to the CBC News reports, Pat King, one of the heads of the convoy was among the arrested people on Friday. The other two organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were arrested on Thursday. Among the authority units, were officers in high-visibility yellow jackets moving in large groups, several ranks deep, which were seen trying to force the crowd to move backward and away from a line of police.
Tactical teams wearing green camouflage-type gear were positioned behind the first lines of officers. A number of black light-armored vehicles were slowly moved by the police behind the officers who were on foot.
As part of an operation intended to end the three-week blockade of Ottawa by hundreds of truck drivers, police started to arrest the ones involved in the riots and towing trucks.
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