Those against COVID-19 measures and mandates continued to protest in Ottawa on Saturday and took to the streets of Toronto.
Toronto
I have been in very frequent contact with Chief @jamesramertps and @TorontoPolice on today’s protest.
I’m thankful that the protest has been largely peaceful through this afternoon and has been kept away from our downtown hospitals. pic.twitter.com/0xQbtiEMCn
— John Tory (@JohnTory) February 5, 2022
Toronto police say they’ve arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly igniting a smoke bomb.
They say they arrested the man around 2 p.m. at the ongoing demonstration at Queen’s Park.
The man faces one count each of assault with a weapon, administering a noxious substance and public mischief.
Meantime, a smaller counter protest was held outside of a Toronto hospital by healthcare workers and their supporters.
Ottawa
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly says all of his officers are on duty on Saturday to manage the protest.
He says there are roughly 1,000 vehicles in the core of the city, and about 5,000 protesters.
Sloly says there are also 300 or so counter-demonstrators.
He characterizes the situation as “a city under siege,” something he says the police force was never designed to deal with.
