Ottawa police arrested a driver after what they describe as an unauthorized vehicle drove into the front gates of Parliament Hill early this morning.
Police say a vehicle rammed into the gates outside the legislature at about 3:30 a.m. and security infrastructure prevented it from entering the grounds.
An officer was nearby and took the driver into custody without further incident, the police statement says, and no criminal charges have yet been laid.
The Ottawa Police Service says it is leading an investigation in collaboration with the Parliamentary Protective Service that oversees security on the Hill.
The street in front of Parliament Hill has been closed to normal traffic since the "Freedom Convoy" in February, during which large trucks stayed parked outside and on streets nearby for several weeks.
The protesters with the convoy were opposed to COVID-19 restrictions and the Liberal government.
The incident appears to be unrelated to another crash later this morning that saw an amphibious tour bus busting into the gates outside 24 Sussex Drive, the unoccupied official residence of the prime minister.
Unlike at 24 Sussex, where rubble and a large gap in the middle of the fence could be seen, the gates at Parliament Hill suffered minimal damage.
The House of Commons is currently on a summer break and the buildings are not open to visitors in the wee hours of the morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2022.
The Canadian Press
