4 charged following protests in downtown Calgary

Three men and a woman have been charged following demonstrations at Calgary city hall Sunday involving both pro-Palestinian supporters and those supporting Israel.

Approximately 2,000 people took part in the rallies, police said in statement, noting most of the protesters were peaceful.

However, following the march, a group of roughly 100 people broke off from the main pro-Palestinian protest group and blocked traffic at the intersection of northbound Macleod Trail and Fourth Avenue S.E., creating a dangerous situation between motorists and demonstrators, according to police.

Five people from that group were arrested, police said.

"Several individuals within this group were not compliant with police and despite attempted negotiations, continued to impede traffic and escalate their behaviour, with some attempting to push through a line of police officers," police said in a release Monday.

Two 25-year-old men and one 30-year-old man have been charged with assaulting a peace officer. A 27-year--old woman has been charged with obstruction of a peace officer in relation to interference as police attempted to make an arrest, police said.

Police noted that during her arrest, her hijab became displaced, which they said officers immediately allowed to be rectified.

The fifth person taken into custody, who was a youth, was released without charges after his parents were allowed behind the police line to de-escalate the situation, police said.

Police say they connected with community leaders and protest organizers before Sunday's demonstrations in anticipation of large crowds.