Police retake Wellington Street amid hard push against 'Freedom Convoy' occupation

Police have moved protesters off of Wellington Street in front of Parliament as part of an aggressive push to remove the 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration that has occupied Ottawa streets for three weeks.

Armed with batons and wearing helmets, and reportedly deploying pepper spray at times, police moved quickly Saturday morning to push a line of protesters back from near the Chateau Laurier hotel on Wellington Street. By 11 a.m., the police line had moved the protesters onto O'Connor Street. Images showed two lines of officers on either side of Wellington Street near O'Connor, retaking the central hub of the occupation on Parliament Hill.

The operation began at around 9:15 a.m., as a line of officers moved out of the Chateau Laurier hotel and began to push the protest line back. Police have confirmed at least one arrest, though the full number is not yet known. More than 100 arrests were made Friday. 

Live video from the scene showed smoke in the crowd at times as police and protesters clashed. Ottawa police claimed the smoke did not come from officers. Police claimed protesters have been launching gas canisters at officers. Police later said they arrested protesters wearing body armour, who allegedly had smoke grenades and fireworks on them. Other smoke grenades and fireworks were allegedly found in a vehicle. Protesters have set off fireworks regularly at night through the last three weeks.

Senior police sources tell CTV News Ottawa's Graham Richardson they expect to "break the back" of the ongoing occupation that has paralyzed downtown Ottawa.