Police in Ottawa confirmed 191 arrests of Freedom Convoy protestors on Sunday after a weekend crackdown on the movement, issuing 391 charges for various offences including mischief and obstructing police.
Ottawa police – who worked alongside Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and others – cleared the area around the Canadian parliament in Ottawa of Freedom Convoy protesters over the weekend, arresting 191 people.
Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell detailed that police charged many with various offences ranging from obstructing police, disobeying court orders, and assaulting a police officer to possessing a weapon and mischief, the Toronto Sun reports.
Prior to the crackdown on the protestors on Friday, police arrested several Freedom Convoy organisers including Tamara Lich, who was also charged with offences relating to mischief.
“There is another phase that will identify how we maintain the streets, how we eventually demobilize, once we’ve identified that there is no threat of further protests coming to our city,” police chief Bell said on Sunday.
Deputy commissioner with the Ontario Provincial Police Chris Harkins added that police seized 76 vehicles in Ottawa over the weekend and suspended many private and commercial drivers’ licenses.
Prior to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history last week, police had difficulties finding tow truck operators willing to tow the semi-trucks and other vehicles in the Canadian capital. Under the Emergencies Act, the government is able to force tow truck operators to carry out their work or they could face potential fines or prison time if they refuse.
Following the removal of the protestors, police have set up around a hundred checkpoints across part of downtown Ottawa and it is unclear when the checkpoints will be removed.
Police chief Bell indicated that the measures will remain in place to ensure “community healing.”
“We promised earlier this week that we would clear our streets and give them back to our residents. We promised that we would return our city to a state of normalcy,” he said. “With every hour we are getting closer to that goal.”
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a press conference prior to the evening vote on the use of the Emergencies Act in the Canadian House of Commons, stating that he expected the act to remain in force despite the end of the border blockades and the clearing of downtown Ottawa.
“Even though things seem to be resolving very well in Ottawa, this state of emergency is not over,” Trudeau said and added, “We have to remain vigilant, and not only in Ottawa but at our ports of entry.”