Standoff between protesters and massive police operation stretches into night

Protesters in Ottawa are standing face-to-face with police officersas the day-long standoff stretches into the night, with more streets still to clear.

In theslow push to take back occupied streets in the nation's capital, the line of confrontation between police and protesters now humsin front ofthe Senate of Canada building.

Police have said protesters are assaulting police officers and police horses during efforts to end the three-week occupation in downtown Ottawa.

Officerswere seen Friday moving along Colonel By Drive, Sussex Drive, Mackenzie Avenue and Rideauand Wellington streets in"public order units" arresting protesters and towing vehicles.

The latest count of those arrested sitsat more than 100 people, according to local police. That's an increaseof 30 from the last update given at about4 p.m. A total of 21 vehicles have been towed.

WATCH | A timelapse of police efforts to clear convoy protesters on Friday:

Mounted officers move through crowd of protesters as police operation gains ground

3 years ago

Duration 1:28

As police continue to dismantle the convoy protest in Ottawa, mounted officers are seen riding through the crowd to push protesters backwards and away from a line of police.

Officers smashed the window of one truck to pull out the occupant and arrest him. Protesters who refused to move were arrested one by one before they were taken away by pairs of officers.

At a news conference Friday afternoon, interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell creditedthefederal Emergencies Act, the Ontario state of emergency, the local state of emergency and a court injunction for providing tools to help officers deal with protesters.

"Without the authorities that have been provided to us through these pieces of legislation, we wouldn't be able to be doing the work we are today," Bell said.

Then in a series oftweets issued Friday evening, Ottawa police said officers were being assaulted as they tried to dismantle the occupation, as well as dealing with attempts by protesters to take officers' weapons.

Police said mounted officers were used to "create critical space" between protesters and police, and while doing so, one person allegedly threw a bicycle at one of the horses. That person was arrested.

Just 90 minutes before that tweet, Bell had said officers have been "nothing short of exceptional" handling protesters in the face of taunts and slurs.

WATCH | Mounted officers help police gain ground:

Ottawa police chief says 70 arrested by Friday afternoon as operations continue

3 years ago

Duration 1:22

Interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell says officers had arrested 70 protesters by 3 p.m. Friday afternoon and were making arrangements to tow the vehicles left behind.

Several organizers arrested

CBC News has confirmed that one of the convoy leaders, Pat King, was among the protesters arrested on Friday. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, were arrested on Thursday.

The public order units included officers in high-visibility yellow jackets moving in large groups, several ranks deep. They were seen heading westalong Wellington slowly moving protesters toward Parliament Hill as members of the crowd pushed back against police.

Earlier Friday officers were seen moving another group north toward the ByWard Market from Colonel By to Sussex.

Behind the first lines of officers, tactical teams wearing green camouflage-type gear.Police were also moving a number of black light-armoured vehicles slowly behind the officers who were on foot.

Dozens of officers also created a box-shaped area at thecorner of Mackenzie and Rideau where a similarly-sized group of protesters gathered at a barrier they created between the temporary Senate building and theChteau Laurier hotel on Wellington.

• Truckers say they'll face arrests peacefully but will defend their rights
• Convoy protest organizers Tamara Lich, Chris Barber arrested in Ottawa

The tense atmosphere was pierced with protesters shouting "Hold the line," and choruses of "O Canada"while police and protesters faced each other just inches apart. Every five minutes or so, police would step forward as a unit, moving protesters and slowly relocating them.

Despite the heightened tensions, police said they continued to engage in conversations with protesters and regularly provided warnings, through social media and other means, indicating that anyone in the "red zone" would be arrested if they didn't leave.

Bell reiterated officers would take theirtime and remain in place until the protests come to a safe end.

WATCH | Interim police Chief Steve Bell with update on ending occupation:

Ottawa mayor lauds police effort to bring convoy protest to an end

3 years ago

Duration 0:41

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he had never been more excited to see tow trucks on television as police moved in Friday afternoon, arresting protesters and removing the vehicles left behind.

Law enforcement action is 'surreal'

Ottawa city councillorCarol AnneMeehansaid, after waiting three weeks, it was "surreal" to watch law enforcement sweep protesters.

Meehan, who just resigned from the Ottawa Police Services Board, said there were only100 officers between the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police last weekend compared to the influx seen on Friday.

"The former chief of police had to give everyone directions to try to keep the peace and keep people safe," said Meehan.

"Engaging protesters, arresting them, and doing some of the action we're seeing today wasn't possible in the last few weeks. We didn't have the resources."

She did warn protests won't be over for "quite some time."

"The people who are down there, some of them almost want to be martyrs," said Meehan. "The challenge going forward is going to be how do we prevent this from happening again?"

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson called theprotesters' behaviour disgraceful and also thanked local officers and those who have come from across the country to assist Ottawa police.

Even though officers continueto allow protesters to leave, Watson toldCBC's Power & Politics thatdoes not mean they won't face consequences. Evenif they're not charged immediately, he said the cityplans to pursue any tickets handed out throughout the protest.

"They're not getting a get-out-of-jail-free card."

WATCH | Mayor Jim Watson lauds police action:

Ottawa police work to clear protesters off the streets

3 years ago

Duration 2:48

After warning protesters that they would be arrested if they remained, Ottawa police on Friday began pushing forward, making arrests, and having vehicles moved out of the way.

Protesters put children in harm's way, police say

CBC reporters on the ground also reported police officers removing children from the protest site. One man who was arrested by police was being taken away while his family members, including children, were being led along behind him.

"Even through all the planning, it stillshocks and surprises me that we are seeing children put in harm's way in the middle of a demonstration where a police operation is unfolding," said Bell.

"We implore all theparents who have kids in there, get the kids out of there. They do not need to be in the middle of this. It is not a safe place for them."

The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa said Friday it was working with police to keep children in the downtown core safe,but as of late Friday afternoon Bell saidthe organization had not been involved as of yet.

Most of the protesters refusing to move could be seen recording video of officers holding their positions.

At the same time,a number of protesters settledin for the day nearby with small tents and fires to stay warm, while others rebuilta stagenear Parliament Hill.

Dozens of semi-trucks remained in the early afternoon and protesters tried to take advantage of an overnight winter storm by building snow barriers. Some trucks were seen leaving the downtown core throughout Friday.

WATCH | Police move on Ottawa protesters, making arrests:

Secure perimeter limits access to downtown core

Police first closed several streets Thursday and established some 100 checkpoints to restricttraffic and prevent more protesters from the downtown core. Those closures choked off-ramps leading fromHighway 417 into the city's downtown with exits closed from St. Laurent Boulevard to ParkdaleAvenue.

Ottawa's light rail service was disrupted due to the downtown lockdown, too, and the Parliament Hill station remains closed.

Ottawa policealso faced attempts to flood the 911 and non-emergency police lines on Friday, which was the second instanceduring the three-week occupation.

"This endangers lives and is completely unacceptable," the force wrote on Twitter."We track calls and will charge anyone deliberately interfering with emergencies."

Police also issued a warning Friday for media to be cautious in the area of the operation to ensure no journalists are taken into custody.

• House of Commons cancels sitting today ahead of expected police operation

The House of Commons cancelled its Friday sitting due to expected police action on Wellington Street and other parts of downtown, temporarily suspending the debate on the use of the Emergencies Act.

According to the Speaker's office, all parties agreed to cancel Friday's sittings on the advice of parliamentary security. Parliamentarians remain hopeful they will be able resume debate on Saturday.

Key convoy organizer granted bail

Before the larger set of arrests beganpolice arrested Barber and Lichon Thursday.

Barber, a 46-year-old from Swift Current, Sask., is facingcharges of counselling to commit mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobeying a court order, counselling to obstruct police, and interfering with the use and enjoyment of property.

On the condition he leave Ottawa and then the province, Barber was granted bail Friday evening. He's also not permitted to support the convoy or contact any of the other main organizers.

Lich, a 49-year-old fromMedicine Hat, Alta., wascharged with counselling to commit the offence of mischief. She isscheduled to appear in court Saturday morning.

Pat King is also expected to face criminal charges.