Police in Canada’s capital Ottawa have cleared a main protest site in front of parliament that had been occupied by demonstrators for over three weeks, according to the BBC.
It has been described as one of the biggest police operations in Canada’s history.
More than 170 people were reportedly arrested and 38 vehicles seized as officers, some on horseback, continued the second day of a massive crackdown.
The BBC said some protesters who resisted were thrown to the ground and had their hands zip-tied behind their backs.
A statement released on Saturday by Freedom Convoy organisers said they had asked remaining truckers to move from the protest site ‘to avoid further brutality’.
Police said that operations were ongoing in Ottawa.
Said interim police chief Steve Bell: ‘We won’t commit to any end time. We are in this until it is over.’
Police confirmed on Twitter that they had used pepper spray on some protesters, saying: ‘You will have seen officers use a chemical irritant in an effort to stop the assaultive behaviour and for officer safety.’
Police tweeted: ‘PROTESTORS: We told you to leave,” Ottawa Police tweeted. “We gave you time to leave. We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses.’
The crackdown on the self-styled Freedom Convoy began on Friday morning, when hundreds of police, some holding riot batons, descended into the protesters’ encampment in downtown Ottawa.
Police said some of those arrested had been wearing body armour and carrying fireworks and smoke grenades. And they criticised people for bringing children to the protest, saying anyone bringing a minor to an illegal protest site could be jailed for five years or fined.
Police have also accused protesters of launching gas canisters at officers.
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