Photo: The Canadian Press

Demonstration on Parliament Hill as a crowd gathered to erect a teepee as part of a four-day Canada Day protest.

A large teepee erected by indigenous demonstrators to kick off a four-day Canada Day protest was standing in front of Parliament Hill early Thursday just hours after their initial attempt was thwarted by police.

Police had blocked the group just inside the gates to Parliament Hill on Wednesday evening as demonstrators carried wooden poles on their shoulders to erect a teepee.

Both sides had refused to budge, and a spokeswoman at the scene said 10 people were briefly held in custody before being released. Demonstrators initially said about 15-20 people had been taken into custody.

Candace Day Neveau, from a group called the Bawating Water Protectors that arrived in Ottawa from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Wednesday, said those arrested were ordered to stay away from Parliament Hill for six months.

Videos posted on social media showed RCMP officers dragging away at least one person as others chanted "shame" and "let our people go!" Police had also erected a barricade to prevent anyone from going further up the Hill.