Ottawa police arrest two men associated with "Freedom Convoy" protests

Ottawa police have arrested and charged two men associated with the anti-vaccine mandate protests.

Matthew Dorken, 29, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with mischief under $5,00o, police reported in a release. The mischief to property occurred on Saturday.

“He was not arrested at the time in order to avoid a larger confrontation,” the release stated.

@ottawapolice arrested and charged Matthew DORKEN, 29, of Ottawa, with Mischief under $5000.

On January 29th, a man caused mischief to property. He was not arrested at the time in order to avoid a larger confrontation. #ottawa #ottnews https://t.co/ui0TwLBCLj

— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 2, 2022

Andre J Lacasse, 37, was charged with carrying a weapon to a public meeting.

Police say they currently have 13 active investigations in relation to the protest, while the number of demonstrators has decreased to 50 people on Parliament Hill and another 200 gathered nearby.

They also have eight complaints to their hotline, three of which are being investigated by the Hate and Bias Crime Unit. The release says there has also been progress in the desecration of the War Monument.

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The convoy of truck drivers against the vaccine mandate descended on the nation’s capital on Saturday.

The rally quickly attracted protesters flying Nazi and Confederate flags. Along with the Terry Fox statue, the national war memorial and the aboriginal veteran’s monument were defaced by protesters.

Ottawa police received backlash online for lack of enforcement at the anti-vaccine mandate protest.

Police reiterated in the latest news release that “illegal activity will not be tolerated” and that there will be consequences for anyone “contravening City By-laws, Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code legislation.”