Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters), – Canadian police tried to bring normality back to Ottawa on Saturday after demonstrators and trucks occupied it for over three weeks in protest of pandemic restrictions.

The city was cleared on Friday. It continued well into the evening.

As hundreds of officers on horseback formed lines to push them from their cars, four of the organizers were already taken into custody.

On Friday, there were several tension-filled moments. Some protesters were pulled from their cars, while others were forced to surrender and were placed on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.

According to police, protesters displayed “assaultive behaviour” and that once they were removed from the scene on horseback, officers arrived to “create space,” according a statement.

Initially, protesters demanded an end to the cross-border COVID-19 vaccination mandates for truck driver drivers. But over time, they have become anti-government and antiPrime Minster Justin Trudeau protests.

“Our demands aren’t ridiculous. Gord, a Manitoba truck driver said that he couldn’t work due to cross-border vaccination mandates. On Friday, Gord from Manitoba said that he will remain in the parking lot of Parliament while awaiting his arrest.

Trudeau used emergency powers Monday to grant his government greater authority to quell the protests. These temporary powers had been scheduled for discussion by legislators, but on Friday the House of Commons halted its session due to police activity.

On Friday, protesters grew in numbers and police placed 100 roadblocks along the center of downtown. This was to block access and keep fuel and food from entering the area. According to police, 21 vehicles were towed by them on Friday.

Police cleared the streets of protestors, and at least 12 tow trucks arrived to take trucks and any other vehicles that were still downtown.