The police on Wednesday ordered protesters clogging Ottawa’s streets to leave or face criminal charges, appearing to set the stage for a clampdown aimed at ending demonstrations that have roiled the nation’s capital for weeks, and reverberated around the world. The impetus to stop protests buffeting the country was amplified this week after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada’s national police, said Tuesday that four protesters in Alberta had been charged with conspiracy to murder R.C.M.P. police officers. Thirteen people were arrested, ranging in age from 18 to 62, the R.C.M.P said. In addition to charging four with conspiracy to commit murder, the police charged most of the remaining protesters with possession of a weapon.

Source: New York Times February 17, 2022 05:22 UTC