On Friday evening, local and federal authorities in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada used tear-gas and horses to break up the ongoing Freedom Convoy, a massive demonstration against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.
In doing so, authorities appeared to trample one elderly woman using a walker as well as running over other protesters with horses. Numerous others were tear-gassed. Around the world, individuals reacted with disgust to the “tyranny” on display in the Western nation.
The Daily Wire reported Friday that the authorities’ aggressive push to clear Ottawa of the truckers started Friday afternoon, but by dusk had turned violent:
Police began making arrests and towing vehicles. Several hours into the sweep, police have arrested at least 70 protesters and removed over 20 vehicles, according to the Ottawa Police Department. Later in the afternoon, police broke out heavy crowd control tactics such as horses, clubs, and tear gas to push the protesters back.
Several of those instances were caught on camera.
“Remember this image. Remember what Trudeau did to Canada,” internet commentator Ian Miles Cheong tweeted, reportedly showing a picture of two protesters, one next to a walking device, knocked to the ground by law enforcement’s horses.
Video obtained by Cheong appeared to confirm that event. “Trudeau is stamping out freedom. One trampled protester at a time,” he added. “Remember Ottawa.”
Ottawa authorities denied that they trampled anybody, but rather that a horse was spooked by a bicycle.
“We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd,” Ottawa police tweeted. “Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We’re unaware of any injuries. A bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured.”
As Rebel News’ Ezra Levant pointed out, there doesn’t seem to be any video backing that up, and the police likely confused — or willfully lied about, as Levant says — the elderly woman’s walking device.
“You’re liars. You said someone threw a bike at a horse. That’s a lie. It wasn’t a bike, your horse stomped on a woman with a mobility scooter,” Levant responded. “You didn’t disperse a crowd. You charged a group of unarmed civilians.”
“You belong in prison. You dirty, corrupt Trudeau thugs,” he added.
Cheong also claimed the police were not telling the truth about the event, and had even more evidence to back up his assertions:
In response to the mayhem, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of calls for Trudeau to resign.
“Trudeau must resign,” Human Events and TPUSA personality Jack Posobiec tweeted, amassing nearly 38,000 likes and hundreds of retweets:
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson also predicted that Trudeau will resign.
“What happened today in Canada was worse than Hong Kong or Ukraine,” Johnson claimed.. “A Western, English-speaking nation turning weapons of war peaceful protesters. Trampling their skulls. Today The Regime broke. They will not survive this. Canada will never be the same. Justin Trudeau will resign.”
Across the globe in India, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, National Secretary for the Bharatiya Janata Party Youth, the world’s largest youth political organization, also expressed his horror at the images.
“I am not able to eat anything from last 24 hours after watching this video. how can @JustinTrudeauattack his own country people. Justin Converted beautiful Canada into Banana Republic #TrudeauDictatorshipMustGo,” he tweeted on Saturday.
HD Editor’s Note: Police Assault & Target Press
The press has also not been immune to the violence by the Ottawa police.
Police struck Rebel News reporter Alexa Lavoisier three times before a tear gas canister was shot into her leg at point-blank range. Andrew Lawton of True North also was assaulted by police with pepper spray. Both news organizations announced plans to file lawsuits over the unprovoked attacks by the officers in Ottawa.
Ottawa’s Police Chief on Saturday commended the work of the officers the previous night and claimed that so-called “misinformation” has been widespread on social media regarding their heavy-handed behavior, despite raw footage documenting their aggressive actions.
When asked if police footage of protesters was going to be used to target individuals after they go home, the Police Chief said that “absolutely” that would be the case.
“If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges,” he said at the Press Conference, adding that the investigation “will go on for months.”
Franklin Graham, son of the late Billy Graham, posted to social media in solidarity with the Canadian protesters and encouraged them for their brave stand for freedom.
“THANK YOU TRUCKERS!” Graham wrote. “Your voice has not only been heard, but your stand for freedom has shaken the socialist politicians in Canada and around the world!”
Canadian Christian author Samuel Sey pointed out on Twitter that the jailing of Pastors in the country last year, should have been a clear wake up call that this tyranny was on the horizon.
“You should have paid more attention when Canada arrested pastors like James Coates last year,” he asserted. ”A nation that doesn’t honour pastors won’t honour peaceful protestors either.”
