TORONTO -- A demonstration took place in downtown Toronto Friday evening in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs fighting to stop the construction of a pipeline from running through their traditional territory.

The protests erupted across the country after the RCMP moved into the Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia to arrest pipeline opponents on their own land.

The protesters in downtown Toronto closed down the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street Friday.

Police said they were assisting with traffic and crowd control in the area, as well as directing TTC buses to get through the intersection.

Protests by groups near Bellville, Ont. have halted rail traffic between Toronto and Montreal for days prompting Via Rail to temporarily end most passenger services nationwide.