OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) – After weeks of blocking the Canadian capital Ottawa because of the government’s coronavirus policy, police say they are now taking action. Security forces spoke of a large police presence near a street in the city center and told protesters to leave. “Some protesters surrender and are arrested,” police wrote on Twitter. He asked everyone involved to remain peaceful.
Earlier, the police had arrested two prominent organizers of the anti-government protests. Canadian media reported unanimously, citing other protesters and video recordings, that a man and a woman were taken away by officers in the capital Ottawa on Thursday (local time). Both are charged with abetment to damage to property, while the man has also been charged with obstruction of justice, a lawyer told Global News.
Thousands of people in Canada have been protesting against coronavirus restrictions and vaccination rules for weeks. Across the border and parts of Ottawa were blocked by trucks and other vehicles. The protest was started over vaccination requirements for truck drivers. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared a national emergency in response to protests that could severely restrict citizens’ liberties rights in favor of security.
For several days, officials in Ottawa told the remaining protesters to leave the city center as soon as possible and prepare them for evacuation measures. Police on Thursday set up a security zone with about 100 checkpoints in the city center./scb/DP/eas
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