Police in Ottawa have arrested over 100 in the city’s downtown core on Friday, as the city looks to remove freedom convoy protesters who have been there for three weeks.
Protesters will charged with mischief and various other charges, Interim Chief of Police Steve Bell said. “Even this morning, all unlawful protesters were given many, many opportunities to leave.”
Freedom protestors push back against advancing police.
Footage by @PuffinsPictures pic.twitter.com/UnYecJRegx
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 18, 2022
While Bell says that no one was injured during the arrests, video from various Canadian news sources on the ground show a different story.
Police can be seen on video manhandling a protester and kneeing him in his torso until he collapses to the ground.
Police in Ottawa are now breaking into protestor’s vehicles.
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 18, 2022
Altercations break out between freedom protestors and police.
Footage by @PuffinsPictures pic.twitter.com/rJCv9oueTU
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 18, 2022
On Friday, an elderly woman and at least one other protester were trampled by mounted police.
Ottawa Police lied. This was the elderly woman trampled by the horses. pic.twitter.com/FGmPoSj9F9
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 19, 2022
Police have towed 21 vehicles thus far and have cleared a number of streets in the downtown core.
“We articulated from the very beginning we have a very deliberate and methodical plan that’s been extremely well resourced,” Interim chief Steve Bell said Friday.
“We, from the beginning, have indicated we would need to move slowly, safely, respecting Charter rights as we look to demobilize this demonstration. We will continue to do that and we will work day and night until this is completed.”
Organizers of the protests have also been arrested. This includes Pat King, Christopher Barber, and Tamara Lich, and former RCMP officer Daniel Bulford.
The arrests come after the invoking of emergency powers in the form of the Emergency Act. The act gives special powers to police to be able to arrest protesters, and also gave the ability for protesters to have their bank accounts frozen.
The government of Canada has legal immunity in doing so.
