As it happened: Police remove 46 vehicles from Ottawa’s convoy blockade

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Police in Ottawa continued a crackdown to end the so-called “Freedom Convoy” that has been encamped for 23 days in the nation’s capital as of Saturday.

In their bid to remove the encampment, police used pepper spray, stun grenades, anti-riot weapons and smashed vehicle windows to arrest those inside.

Police said 170 arrests have been made since enforcement ramped up on Friday, including 47 arrested Saturday.

Since Friday, 46 vehicles have been removed from the secure zone downtown, and a total of 53 vehicles have been towed.

2:57 Trucker protests: Police retake control of Parliament Hill

Police have created around 100 checkpoints in the downtown area to ensure only those who live or work in the core can enter.

At a press conference Thursday, Ottawa’s interim police chief, Steve Bell, said this weekend the downtown will look “very different” from the past three.

“We want people to peacefully leave but I’ll tell you if they do not peacefully leave we have plans, strategies and tactics to get them to leave,” he said.

Global News live reported on Saturday’s events below.

3:18 Ottawa police use anti-riot weapons on convoy protesters, arrest 170 total