Police in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa began arresting demonstrators of the "Freedom Convoy" protests on Thursday night, according to The Washington Post.
The police move came after warnings earlier in the day to end the protests against vaccine requirements and other COVID-19 mitigation measures, which have disrupted the city for weeks, the Post reports.
The Ottawa police blocked off sections of the city, creating 100 checkpoints in downtown Ottawa, which could only be accessed by residents.
The police also sequestered exits that lead to the city center off of the Trans-Canada Highway, according to The New York Times.
“Your time in our city has come to an end and you must leave," said interim Police Chief Steve Bell, according to the Post, noting that the city had given the protestors multiple warnings.
Of those arrested was a key protest organizer, Tamara Lich, a spokesperson for the demonstration confirmed, the Times reports.
The spokeswoman, Dagny Pawlak, said Linch's arrest was “absolutely baseless and a disgrace to any liberal democracy, although not a surprise,” reports the Times.
Amid the controversy that has had economic consequences in Canada and the U.S., Ottawa's police chief resigned and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the atypical stance of declaring a national, public order emergency — a first in over 50 years for the country, reports the Times.
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