Iran Press/ America: Police pushed into crowds of demonstrators to clear them from the streets of downtown Ottawa on Friday, arresting more than 100 and hauling away vehicles that had been blocking the capital's core for over three weeks in a protest against pandemic restrictions, according to Reuters.
So far, 422,219,122 people have been infected with the coronavirus disease. The total death toll also has reached 5,892,894.
Fearing escalation or violence, Ottawa police had sought to disperse protesters with fines and threats of arrest, but on Friday hundreds of officers moved in despite frigid temperatures and freshly fallen snow, slowly clearing one part of the city.
Police accused the protesters of showing "assaultive behaviour" and forcing mounted police to move in "to create critical space" in the late afternoon.
At least one military-style armored vehicle was seen downtown, and there were at least eight helmeted officers on horseback. Some police carried guns, and others what looked like tear gas launchers.
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