Canadian police use pepper spray, stun grenades in push to clear capital protest

Canadian police on Saturday used pepper spray and stun grenades to try to restore normality to the capital after trucks and demonstrators occupied the downtown core of Ottawa for more than three weeks to protest against pandemic restrictions.

After clearing a portion of the blockade and making more than 100 arrests on Friday, police on Saturday morning moved quickly to disperse the main portion of the blockade in front of parliament and the prime minister's office, making new arrests.

"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 in a statement to the truckers posted on Twitter.

"Based on your behaviour, we are responding by including helmets and batons for our safety." Police also used loud speakers to warn the crowd to disperse, or face arrest.

Some loud bangs of stun grenades were heard, and Reuters witnesses saw some people being pepper-sprayed. Protesters were throwing smoke canisters, police said.

Several large trucks that have been parked in front of parliament for weeks drove away as the police cordon approached their position.

Again on Saturday, police smashed vehicle windows to make arrests, but the overall number of protesters has dwindled dramatically compared with previous days and many vehicles have already left.

Many of the main organizers have been taken into custody, and some have reportedly left. Accused of being heavy-handed by the protesters, especially when sending in Mounties on horseback, police said there had been no serious injuries.

"We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We're unaware of any injuries," police said on Twitter.

The protesters initially wanted an end to cross-border Covid-19 vaccine mandates for truck drivers, but the blockade has gradually turned into a demonstration against the government and against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"This is our final stand ... When it ends, it ends and it's in God's hands," said Jeremy Glass, a protester from Shelburne, Ontario. "At the end of this, we all need to get back to unity and get rid of this division."

Trudeau on Monday invoked emergency powers to give his government wider authority to stop the protests. Legislators had been due to debate those temporary powers on Friday but the House of Commons suspended its session, citing police activity. read more

"Our demands aren't ridiculous. We want mandates and lockdowns dropped," said a truck driver from Manitoba who gave his name only as Gord, adding that he cannot work anymore because of cross-border vaccine mandates.

After the protest crowds swelled on the three previous weekends, police set up 100 road blocks around the downtown core on Friday to deny people access and prevent food and fuel from getting in. Police said they had towed 21 vehicles on Friday.