TORONTO — Toronto police arrested one protester Wednesday afternoon on Bloor St. W. as the Ford government pressed ahead with the removal of protected bike lanes in Etobicoke after cyclists blocked crews Tuesday night.Police said road work was underway to remove the curb barriers separating the bike lanes from the roadway. Protesters, including the suspect, entered the bike lane. The suspect sat on one of the curb barriers, interfering with its removal. Officers cautioned her and gave her an opportunity to leave the area, but she refused to comply and was arrested.Nina Thi Thi Tran, 25, of Hamilton, has been charged with obstructing a peace officer and mischief – interfere with property. She is scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice on Jan. 8, 2027.The arrest followed a warning earlier in the day from Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw that anyone interfering with the “lawful work” could face charges. Work proceeded on a roughly 1 km stretch of Bloor between Islington ave. and Royal York rd. — the first phase of the province’s plan to remove protected bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge, and University. Tuesday night’s protest had forced construction trucks to leave without starting the job.Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said after the Tuesday delay that the province would still proceed. “Make no mistake: these bike lanes are coming out,” he wrote on X..WATCH: Protesters stall Ford’s Etobicoke bike lane removal as $48 million taxpayer bill looms
