Ottawa police made several arrests Friday as they clashed with protesters from a motorbike convoy opposing health measures and joined by truckers trying to ride with them to Parliament Hill.
Seven people were arrested for various offences, including assaulting police, and 24 vehicles were towed Friday, the Ottawa Police Service said in a statement. At least one truck also had its windows smashed.
As of Saturday morning, city officials said by-law officers had issued 417 tickets and the tow count at the rally now stands at 30 vehicles.
“Several events are planned for this weekend in Ottawa. Police will be watching them to ensure peace is maintained,” a tweet from the Ottawa Police Service read Saturday morning.
The motorcycle event is dubbed “Rolling Thunder” by its organizers, including Freedom Fighters Canada, a group dedicated to speaking out against COVID-19 guidelines.
Several of the protesters at the rally had also participated in the trucker demonstrations, dubbed the “freedom convoy,” that paralyzed downtown Ottawa for three weeks last February in protest of health restrictions in country and the policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The city’s transit agency, OC Transpo, tweeted on Saturday that it would increase its presence on the ground to help customers and “ensure the safety of its frontline staff.” On Friday night, the agency tweeted that the Rideau Centre, a three-story mall in the heart of downtown, was closed due to the rally.
Friday’s protest had started quietly on Parliament Hill, but as night fell, trucks, campers and other trucks made their way to the core of the group.
Protesters gathered around the trucks but were met by a line of police in tactical gear, equipped with helmets and batons.
Ottawa city councilor Jeff Leiper also reported seeing police smash the window of a truck to gain control of the vehicle.
The protest is expected to continue Saturday as hundreds of motorcyclists are expected to join them in downtown Ottawa. They have planned a stop at the National War Memorial, before heading to Parliament Hill for a large rally.