Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday defended his use of a special law, rarely used in peacetime, to remove truck drivers who paralyzed the capital earlier this year, citing “serious risks of violence,” AFP reported.

The occupation of downtown Ottawa in February by truckers mobilizing against Covid-19 health restrictions marked a country unusual for such social movements, and their legal eviction sparked a major civil liberties debate.

Trudeau justified his decision by the fact that the protesters “militarized certain vehicles” and used children as “human shields”.

He said police were concerned about weapons stockpiles, adding that Canadian intelligence had warned of the “presence of individuals promoting ideologically motivated violent extremism” who could carry out isolated attacks.

Tensions rose as counter-demonstrations emerged, with “grandparents standing on residential streets against huge trucks,” the prime minister said, sparking fears that Canadians were taking matters into their own hands.

The occupation of the center of the capital was accompanied by other rallies across the country, blocking trade corridors, including the busiest international border in North America.