Several people were taken into custody at a heated political rally in downtown Toronto Tuesday. The rally was aimed at convincing Ontario's Liberal government to kick start negotiations between York University and striking faculty members.

A dozen police cruisers rushed to the scene after receiving a radio call for help from some of the officers attending the rally.

The scuffle occurred as the 200-strong crowd marched from the Labour Ministry offices on University Avenue towards the provincial legislature. There was a dispute with police over where protesters are allowed to march.

About four people who reportedly didn't comply with police orders to stop blocking traffic were taken into custody. One person was charged with assaulting a police officer.

Union officials and police urged the crowd to remain calm. Nonetheless, several people who were at the rally made their way to the police station on Dundas Street to protest the arrests.

Last-ditch effort

The rally was a last-ditch effort to avoid back-to-work legislation that is currently being debated at Queen's Park.

The debate started Sunday but the NDP party have forced the bill through a second and third reading. Further debate is scheduled for Thursday but CUPE members are hoping to get back to the bargaining table until the law is passed.

York stopped negotiating with the union after the majority of striking contract staff, teaching and graduate assistants rejected their latest offer. The union made a counter-offer but the administration said they had made their last offer.

Premier Dalton McGuinty then appointed a top-notch provincial mediator to the case but he soon realized the two sides were at a fierce deadlock. That's when he tabled a bill that would force union members back to work, sending all outstanding issues to binding arbitration.

The earliest York students can be back in class is Monday, Feb. 2.

About 50,000 students have been locked out of school since Nov. 6, 2008 when about 3,300 union members walked off the job.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton told the rallying crowd that he has asked Premier Dalton McGuinty to call the head of York in a bid to convince management to return to the bargaining table.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney