Canadian police dispersed protesters in Ottawa with gas

In the Canadian capital, police detained more than 100 protesters. Law enforcement forces evacuated 21 trucks in an effort to free the city center, which three weeks ago was blocked by anti-government demonstrators.

Authorities had warned the day before that they would move to decisive action, but the protests have not stopped. Ottawa’s new police chief Steve Bell was in charge of the dispersal operation.

“As early as this morning, all illegal and legal protesters were given the opportunity to disperse. Police then proceeded to the intersection of Rideau and Sussex streets, making more arrests and clearing the area. As of 3 p.m., 70 people had been detained. They have been charged with multiple offenses,” Bell reported.

Mass protests began across Canada back in January, when truckers demanded the repeal of anti-code restrictions. They were soon joined by many other citizens unhappy with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

The authorities refused to make concessions and resorted to the emergency law, which had never been used in the country before. Trudeau called the protesters a “marginal minority.