Good morning from Ottawa where shit is tense. Huge line of cops and a line of protestors two or three deep. Chants of “Were not going to take it” and “hold the line.” #freedomconvoy22
Police just pushed the protestors back quite a bit to behind another set of trucks. They yelled and pushed back a bit but moved.
Lots of worried faces. Saw some kids with their parents who looked rather scared. Think many die hards realizing this is the end of the occupation.
They’re continuing to push back.
It’s getting a bit intense. Police pushing. Some tear gas going off.
Terry Fox in some sort of gas. Doesn’t feel as bad as tear gas but not sure what it is.
Should note I don’t think this was tear gas. It was something but pretty mild.
Police have taken the encampment in front of parliament. Protestors pushed onto a side street.
At one point they had to take a tent with a live fire. Mood around protestors is pretty dire.
Walking back to my hotel to write up a story and I passed a lot of the people getting ready to leave. Some digging out cars on the street, others packing up sound equipment. At my hotel, where quiet a few organizers are staying, they're moving all their computer gear out.
My first dispatch from Ottawa on the end of #freedomconvoy22 occupation and the ceasing of the horns.
vice.com/en/article/z3n…
Back at the protest. Still quite a few people but it’s smaller than before. The street we are on has a pretty strong and bitter wind ripping through it.
Just checked again and crowd is much smaller. People are slowly and steadily streaming out but still massive police presence. But I'm tired and there's an Oilers game on so unless something wild happens that's it from me.
I'll leave y'all with some photos from today.
Couldn’t stay away.
The protestors are all congregated on a major street just off of parliament. It’s got a real block party vibe, a far cry than the morose feel earlier.
Cops pushing. Mood changed very quickly. Crowd is on edge and it’s tense as hell.
Trying to post video but service ain’t great right now
Cops pushing. The mood got very intense very quickly. Someone keeps tossing firecrackers or something and the crowd is on edge.
Cops stopped their push but took over half the street back.
Behind the front line of cops you can see them moving the barricade back.
Sorry for the quality of photos. Hands are a bit chilly.
The DJ, who has a shocking amount of influence on the crowd, is calling people to move and reset back further. Some are listening.
Police pushed again. Arresting a few. Mood again very tense.
Some people still going at metcalfe and slater. Some fireworks being set off and lots of long arduous “freedom” yells.
Walking around with my camera and some drunk dude thought I was “Trudeau’s cameraman.” Got very mad. Wanted to fight me. His nice friend broke it up.
He was very drunk and pretty scrawny but still, wild.
“Go take photos of nazi flags, you f—got,” he yelled walking away.
Probably time to call it a night, eh?
Did one final walk around and this were the biggest gathering I saw and it was significantly smaller than even 15 minutes ago.
This is the Way the Day Ends: Not with a Bang but Drunk People On a Street Corner.
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