– The demonstrators continue to be aggressive and attack the police. They refuse to obey orders to move. From then on, we can see police using chemicals to try to stop them and for the safety of the police, wrote the Ottawa police on Twitter on Saturday.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio Canada writes that it is pepper spray that the police use against aggressive protesters, and the police deny that it is tear gas.

Around 150 people have been arrested since police intervened on Friday. On Saturday, they advanced further along Wellington Street, where most of the protesters settled in tent cities and with around 300 large trucks and motorhomes.

Busy center

Protesters from the so-called Freedom Column have been protesting vaccination measures and the Canadian government for several weeks, blocking the area around the parliament building in central Ottawa with their trucks.

The freedom column began when a group of truckers headed for Ottawa with their large trailers, protesting vaccine passport requirements to cross the border to and from the United States.

The demonstration, which was led by several far-right people, eventually turned into a general protest against all vaccine measures and Canadian authorities.

It has also attracted right-wing extremists and war veterans, some armed, and received support from former US President Donald Trump, Tesla founder Elon Musk and even ex-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ultimatum

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau eventually declared a state of emergency to deal with the situation, and police gave protesters the choice to leave the scene or risk arrest and seizure of their car.

In addition to the 47 arrested on Saturday, 38 vehicles, including large trailers, were confiscated and towed.

Some of those arrested had body armor and bags full of smoke grenades and fireworks.

But there were noticeably fewer protesters in the city on Saturday than the day before, as many were seen leaving in their trucks.