Ottawa police say convoy blockade ‘aggressive;’ some arrested with body armour, smoke grenades
LATEST UPDATE: 12:07 p.m. Eastern
- The Chaudière Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau has been closed by police “to prevent an influx of protesters into Ottawa for everyone’s safety.”
- Ottawa police say demonstrators wearing body armour and with smoke grenades have been arrested.
- Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says banks have frozen 76 accounts worth $3.2 million in connection with the convoy.
Some of the demonstrators in the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade in downtown Ottawa have been arrested with body armour and smoke grenades as a police push to end the convoy encounters what officials describe as “assaultive” and “aggressive” behaviour by the crowds.
The push comes as federal officials on Saturday announced $20 million in funding will be made available to local businesses forced to close by the convoy, and said that 76 bank accounts worth $3.2 million have so far been frozen over ties to the convoy under the powers of the Emergencies Act.
“Police arrested protesters wearing body armour, they had smoke grenades on them and miscellaneous fireworks in their bags,” police said shortly before noon on Saturday. “Additional smoke grenades and fireworks were located and seized in a vehicle on Wellington.”
In statements posted on Twitter earlier on Saturday, Ottawa police said their officers on the ground are equipped with helmets and batons for their own safety due to the conduct of demonstrators.
“We told you to leave. We gave you time to leave. We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses,” police said on Day 23 of the blockade.
In two additional tweets, police said that a detonation of some kind of smoke device that was visible to crews on the ground was caused by demonstrators, not officers.
Police also confirmed that a loud noise heard on the ground came from officers, and that “it was used to resolve an unsafe situation.” They said they have not used tear gas either on Friday or on Saturday, and that demonstrators continue to launch gas cannisters at police.
Law enforcement including tactical teams from multiple jurisdiction as well as mounted units, armoured vehicles and riot police equipped with tear gas moved rapidly Saturday morning in a push that built on territorial gains from Friday during what had been a slower, more cautious advance.
Police on Friday moved from east to west, retaking control of Nicholas Street and Rideau Street before ending the night in the area roughly in front of the iconic Chateau Laurier, near the National War Memorial.
On Saturday morning, they pushed hard to move up Rideau Street onto Wellington Street, which is the road directly at the base of Parliament Hill which has seen perhaps the tightest encampment of big rigs and convoy-related infrastructure over the past three weeks.
Police also could be seen moving down Sparks Street, which is one street south of Wellington Street, and down the surrounding intersecting streets in what appeared to be a bid to break up some of the more tightly packed areas held by demonstrators.
The convoy blockade has been encamped since Jan. 28.
Ottawa police urged the protesters to leave the area or risk being arrested.
“You must leave. You must cease further unlawful activity and immediately remove your vehicle and/or property from all unlawful protest sites,” Ottawa Police Service said in a Tweet Saturday morning.
A tense stand-off between protesters and heavily-armoured police – decked out in body armour and shields – took place Friday night outside Ottawa’s iconic Chateau Laurier hotel.
More than 100 protesters, including four key organizers, have been arrested and at least 21 vehicles towed.
Protest organizers Pat King and Tamara Lich were due to appear in court Saturday.
King, of Red Deer, Alta., has been charged with mischief, counselling to commit the offence of mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobey court order and counselling to commit the offence of obstruct police.
Lich, who will appear in an Ottawa courtroom for a bail hearing, is also charged with counselling to commit the offence of mischief, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Tensions escalated on Friday with the Ottawa Police Service accusing protesters of assaulting officers, trying to take their weapons, and in one case throwing a bicycle at a police horse. Some protesters claimed they were assaulted by officers.
Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell told a Friday evening news conference that clearing the area would take time, but the operation was “deliberate and methodical” and police were in control on the ground.
He said no serious injuries had been reported, and those arrested had been charged with various offences including mischief, adding that police were still urging demonstrators to leave peacefully.
Meanwhile, inside the House of Commons, MPs resumed a debate on the use of the Emergencies Act invoked by the federal government in repose to the illegal blockade.
Meetings of the House of Commons and the Senate were cancelled on Friday due to safety concerns.
The debate is expected to continue Sunday and Monday, with the final vote on the measure to be held Monday at 8 p.m. ET, according to government House Leader Mark Holland.
“I am looking forward to the historic and fulsome debate that lies ahead,” he said on Twitter.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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