After another weekend of arrests, Canada is looking to put an end to the Covid-19 protests with tougher financial measures

Another weekend of protests against Canada's Covid-19 mandates resulted in approximately 200 arrests in the nation's capital as authorities moved to end the weeks-long demonstration, towing vehicles and threatening protesters with financial penalties.

Police said they used pepper spray and escalated tactics over the weekend to disperse protesters gathered in front of the Parliament building and make arrests.

Protesters who allegedly had smoke grenades and fireworks and were wearing body armor were among those arrested, according to police.

The Special Investigation Unit of Ontario is also looking into an incident in which a woman was allegedly seriously injured after an interaction with a police officer on a horse, as well as another in which an officer discharged a less-than-lethal firearm at protesters.

At a press conference on Sunday, Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell said that the number of protesters had dropped dramatically.

He did, however, say that residents in downtown had awoken to fencing and a "very heavy police presence," as well as checkpoints throughout the city.

"While I know everyone is relieved that many of the illegal protesters have been removed, this is not the normal state of our city," he said. "Despite our recent successes, we still require these measures to prevent unlawful protesters from returning."

According to Bell, 191 protesters were arrested and 107 people were charged. According to him, the charges included obstructing police, disobeying a court order, assault, mischief, possessing a weapon, and assaulting a police officer.

At the news conference, Chris Harkins, deputy commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, reported that 76 vehicles had been seized and towed.

A group of truck drivers opposed to a Covid-19 vaccine and testing mandate started the Ottawa protests in late January. Others outside the trucking industry, however, have joined in their dissatisfaction with a variety of other Covid-19 health measures, such as the requirement to wear masks in schools.

Officials vowed to put an end to the protests by enacting unprecedented protocols, such as the Emergencies Act. The law allows the Canadian government to use military forces, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that troops will not be required.

Despite the fact that Ottawa's streets were calm, quiet, and devoid of protesters on Monday, Trudeau defended invoking the Emergencies Act, claiming that the situation was "fragile."

"Right now, when the situation is still of people pre-positioning, people being out there indicating that they are ready to blockade, to continue their illegal occupations, to disrupt Canadians' lives," Trudeau said at a news conference on Parliament Hill on Monday.

On Monday evening, Canada's House of Commons passed a motion to approve the Emergencies Act and the broad powers it grants, with Canada's New Democratic Party voting with the Liberal government to ensure the law remains in effect until mid-March.

Trudeau stated that the government will revoke the emergency powers as soon as national security permits.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is launching a legal challenge to the government's extraordinary, but temporary, measures in the Emergencies Act, claiming that they "seriously infringe" on Canadians' rights.

Protesters face financial penalties as their funding sources are investigated

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner of federal policing, Mike Duheme, said at a press conference on Sunday that the Emergencies Act had aided the police operation.

Trudeau claimed on Monday that "foreign money," including money from the United States, was being used to support the illegal protest.

"There needs to be a discussion about misinformation and disinformation and how it can disrupt Canadians' lives. Foreign funding of illegal actions in our country intended to disrupt or destabilize our democracy must be considered."

"The provisions of the Emergencies Act have allowed us to maintain the perimeter, restrict travel, and ensure that we can continue to choke off financial and other assistance to protesters," Duheme said.

According to Duheme, Canadian authorities froze the finances of certain individuals and companies suspected of being involved in the protest on Sunday.

According to Duheme, the RCMP froze 206 financial products, including bank and corporate accounts; disclosed the information of 56 entities associated with vehicles, individuals, and companies; shared 253 bitcoin addresses with virtual currency exchangers; and froze a payment processing account valued at $3.8 million.

"We continue to work on gathering relevant information on individuals, vehicles, and businesses, and we remain in daily contact with the financial institution to assist them," Duheme said.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that officials were investigating how the blockades were paid for.

"We've started looking into whether there was any foreign influence. I've raised the issue with Secretary Blinken, and my counterparts in Canada have also raised concerns, because we're preoccupied with funding, first through crowdsourcing, and then with the disinformation campaign that goes with it "She stated.

Meanwhile, Canadian officials announced Saturday that small businesses that were unable to open due to blockades and had suffered financial losses could apply for up to $10,000 that they would not have to repay.

The funds, worth up to $20 million, can only be used for non-deferred operational costs not covered by other federal programs, according to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.