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‘Rolling Thunder’ protest expected to continue in Ottawa after Friday arrests

Apr 30, 2022 | 4:02 AM

OTTAWA — The “Rolling Thunder” protest in Ottawa clashed with police leading to several arrests Friday after a small convoy of vehicles attempted to make their way toward Parliament Hill. 

Many of the demonstrators were also part of the “Freedom Convoy” demonstration that seized the capital for weeks in February in protest of vaccine mandates, COVID-19 restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The protest started relatively calmly on Parliament Hill Friday but as night fell a few hours later, a line of big-rigs, campers and other trucks made their way into the core.

Protesters gathered around the trucks, and police in tactical gear formed a line and faced them down.

Several people were arrested and ticketed and at least one truck had its windows broken before police began to tow vehicles away.

The protest is expected to continue Saturday with a convoy of hundreds of motorcycles through downtown, with a stop at the National War Memorial, before moving to Parliament Hill for another rally. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2022.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

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