Canadian police face off with protesters opposed to mandates

OTTAWA (AP) — Police wearing helmets and shields have made several arrests in Canada’s capital after facing off against protesters opposed to COVID-19 mandates. Big-rig trucks attempted to make their way to Parliament Hill as  part of the “Rolling Thunder” rally, organized by Freedom Fighters Canada, a group dedicated to speaking out against COVID-19 mandates. Many of the protesters were also part of the three-week “Freedom Convoy demonstration that gridlocked Ottawa’s downtown earlier this year with big rigs, prompting the federal government to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time. Ottawa police promised that protesters would not be allowed to get a foothold for a prolonged occupation.