In Ottawa, several people were arrested last week in the context of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including a gathering in front of the Ottawa police headquarters on Elgin Street. The police confirmed in a post on the platform "X" (formerly Twitter) that they arrested two individuals during the protest on Saturday.

A woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer after refusing to comply with repeated police orders. Earlier in the week, additional arrests were made when demonstrators blocked streets and disrupted traffic during protests in the downtown area. The detainees faced charges including disturbing the peace, obstructing justice, and assaulting police officers.

Protesters criticized the police's handling of the demonstrations, as some gathered in front of the police station to demand the release of the detainees. These events come amid a global wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in response to the ongoing situation in Gaza.

In recent days, there has been a series of arrests in the context of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Ottawa, which the city is experiencing as part of a global wave of protests due to the situation in Gaza.

1. November 18 Protest: On November 18, during a protest at peak hour in downtown, police arrested four people. The protesters were blocking traffic and did not comply with staying on the sidewalks, which led to charges against them, including assaulting a police officer by one of the detainees. The police indicated in a statement that they identified others in the crowd who committed violations but decided not to arrest them at that time due to concerns about escalating the situation.

2. Arrests on Saturday: The following Saturday, two individuals were arrested during another protest. A woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer after refusing to comply with repeated police orders. Another man was also arrested for interfering with the protest. After these arrests, some protesters gathered in front of the Ottawa police headquarters on Elgin Street on Sunday morning to demand the release of the detainees.

3. Sarah Abdul Karim's Arrest: During the protest, Sarah Abdul Karim, a well-known activist in the Palestinian youth movement, was also arrested. Karim was speaking with local media about the protests when she was taken into custody. She explained that the group had been protesting weekly for over 400 days without any issues until this week. A video published by local media shows three officers placing handcuffs on her wrists.

4. Police Response: For its part, the Ottawa police stated that they are aware of the concerns raised by community members regarding the arrests, noting that the police are balancing the need to ensure community safety with the legitimate right to protest.

They added that the charges against the detainees are being carefully considered, with a focus on maintaining public safety and building trust between the police and the community.

These protests are part of a larger wave of demonstrations occurring in Canada and other countries, in support of the Palestinians in light of the current situation in Gaza.