Footage from Ottawa, Ontario, shows a frightening moment as police on horseback pushed through a crowd of demonstrators protesting against COVID-19 rules.
Videos posted to social media Friday shows officers, wearing yellow jackets, riding horses through a gap in the throng of people gathered outside. However, between what appears to be a line of standing police on one side and a line of protesters on the other, the mounted units began to move closer and shove some of the demonstrators, knocking at least two to the ground — one man in a brown jacket and an elderly woman, using what appears to be a mobility scooter, in a red jacket.
A mounted horse hopped over the pair, both of whom were curled into the fetal position, though it does not appear that they were stepped on by the animal. “They just trampled this lady. They just fully trampled that lady,” someone can be heard saying in the video, which appears to have been recorded on a cellphone.
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A line of police clad in protective gear converged, blocking the agitated crowd from moving forward as the woman in the red jacket could be seen in the distance stumbling and being assisted while walking away.
***BREAKING NEWS ***
Police clash with peaceful demonstrators who are protesting COVID-related mandates in Ottowa, Canada.Police on horses were making their way through the crowd and at points appeared to trample on some protestors. pic.twitter.com/AcAmwFuEEt
— KUSI News (@KUSINews) February 19, 2022
Another video posted to TikTok and shared on Twitter by Ian Miles Cheong shows the woman in the red jacket calling the protests peaceful in the moments before the mounted police arrive.
Ottawa Police lied. This was the elderly woman trampled by the horses. pic.twitter.com/FGmPoSj9F9
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) February 19, 2022
Ottawa police released a statement on Twitter assuring the public that authorities are unaware of any injuries.
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“We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We’re unaware of any injuries. A bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured,” police said.
We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We’re unaware of any injuries. A bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured. pic.twitter.com/4AYiw1q3W0
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022
Another tweet from Ottawa police later in the evening reads, “Please note: No one has been seriously injured or passed away in any of today’s police actions. Safety is our priority.”
Please note: No one has been seriously injured or passed away in any of today’s police actions. Safety is our priority.
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Veuillez noter que personne n’a été gravement blessé ou est décédé en lien aux interventions policières d’aujourd’hui. La sécurité est notre priorité.— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022
More than 100 protesters, including four organizers of the Freedom Convoy, have been arrested as law enforcement and tactical teams from multiple Canadian jurisdictions worked Friday to clear demonstrations in the capital city. They also began towing large trucks that had been parked in the downtown core for three weeks.
