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After initially being met with resistance from police, dozens of indigenous protesters erected a large teepee overnight in front of Parliament Hill’s East Block.

The demonstration was part of what was described as a “reoccupation” ceremony to counter Canada’s 150th anniversary.

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Between 50 and 60 protesters stood their ground, even after several were detained by RCMP. Police later said none of the protesters would be arrested.

Ottawa police Duty Insp. John Medeiros said the protest started at the Human Rights Monument around 6 p.m. Wednesday. He said once the group got the teepee poles at the monument, they came to Parliament Hill to erect it.

After initially being prevented from erecting the teepee by police, it went up in the early hours of Thursday morning.

UPDATE: Teepee erected on Parliament Hill was for ceremony, not protest, says grassroots group

Photo by Lauren Malyk

There was cheering when the teepee was fully up.

“These types of demonstrations need to take place,” said Isadore Day, an Ontario regional chief.

Candace Day Neveau, a spokeswoman for a group called the Bawating Water Protectors, which arrived in Ottawa from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Wednesday, said 10 people were briefly held in custody before being released and ordered to stay away from Parliament Hill for six months.

“This isn’t a group, it’s a movement,” Elizabeth Cooke of the Sault Ste. Marie organization said Thursday morning. Cooke says she was one of those detained and handcuffed for several hours.