(OTTAWA) The Ottawa Police Service reports the arrest of 23 people since the protest began by truckers and their supporters downtown for nearly two weeks, and reports that 85 criminal investigations have been opened.
Posted at 6:25 a.m.
More than 1,300 tickets were also distributed to protesters.
Deputy Police Chief Steve Bell said officers are mostly focused on protecting the perimeter around downtown and preventing the delivery of fuel canisters to parked truckers.
The police have already estimated that 1,800 additional officers would be needed to enforce laws and regulations under the current circumstances.
Police say nearly 25 per cent of the 418 large vehicles still blocking Ottawa streets are occupied by families with children. The deputy police chief also fears that the children will be endangered if a police operation is organized in the area.
Police do not intend to remove the children from the protest, but will instead consult with the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa to see if further action is needed.
Meanwhile, the occupation of the city center continues to cause the closure of a multitude of institutions and commercial establishments. Downtown residents continue to complain of harassment by protesters.
The parliamentary precinct was the epicenter of deafening horns from trucks and tractor-trailers parked along Wellington Street. The site also reeks of diesel smoke from idling vehicles, smoke from barbecue grills, smoke from campfires lit by protesters, and marijuana.