Demonstrators looked to stage a peaceful protest by erecting a teepee on Parliament Hill Wednesday night, as the city gears up for Canada Day events.

A group of roughly 80 people carrying poles for a teepee tent were stopped by RCMP, Ottawa Police and Parliament Hill security at about 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Police held on to the poles in an attempt to stop the group from entering the Parliament Hill grounds.

Activists told reporters they wanted to have a sacred fire for four days on the Hill, and were looking to protest the Canada 150 celebrations.

“This discrimination, this stereotyping and dehumanization of our people needs to stop,” said Jocelyn Wabano-Iahtail, one of the protest organizers.

The group has refused to leave and asked police, “Do you want another Oka?” in reference to the Oka Crisis, a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Que..

Protesters ask police "Do you want another Oka?" on Parliament Hill. Indigenous protestors want to protest Canada 150 pic.twitter.com/wGHHoTnOPx — Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) June 29, 2017

Confrontation between police and protesters on Parliament Hill pic.twitter.com/X4PsZfW4Ok — Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) June 29, 2017

Members say their intention was to bring the teepee on to the Hill and begin four days of prayer by indigenous groups to raise awarenesss about their treatment by the Canadian government.

“We understand that as a country, people have pride that they’re living here,” said Candace Day Neveau, one of the lead organizers. “We’re taking a stance to simply educate and raise awareness about celebrating Canada Day and how it’s deeply impacting indigenous people.”

Protest on Parliament Hill as people try to bring a teepee on to Parliament Hill to protest Canada 150 pic.twitter.com/JD5tr2g7KE — Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) June 29, 2017

Protesters say people have been detained and arrested as they try to "reoccupy" Parliament Hill with a teepee pic.twitter.com/GFhncv6gaJ — Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) June 29, 2017

Nine people were briefly arrested by RCMP before being released later in the night.

Protest is peaceful but protesters are holding one end of the teepee poles trying to get into Parl Hill and RCMP holding other end in place pic.twitter.com/pfbSjOsKTD — Mercedes Stephenson (@CTVMercedes) June 29, 2017

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