Windsor (Ontario) — Police arrived to arrest and clear the remaining demonstrators at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing. This ended a demonstration against COVID-19 that had hurt both countries’ economies, while they resisted a crackdown in Ottawa.
Ottawa’s joint command centre was established by national and local police. Protests have erupted in downtown Ottawa. Residents are furious at the inaction of police and put pressure on Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister.
Protests have been reverberated throughout the country and abroad, with similar convoys taking place in France, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned about possible truck convoys in the United States.
Biden’s administration thanked Canada and White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall for clearing the protesters. Liz Sherwood-Randall stated in a statement that the U.S. was “ready to support our Canadian counterparts wherever necessary in order to restore the normal free flow commerce can resume.”
Windsor police stated that 12 people were arrested peacefully and seven vehicles were torched just after sunrise near the Ambassador Bridge, which links their city with many Canadian auto plants.
After police forced protestors to move their pickup trucks, and other cars they had blocked from a crossing that receives 25% of all trade between them, only a few were left.
On Saturday, Ottawa saw a record number of protesters. Police said that there were approximately 4,000. On past weekends, the city saw similar increases. People gathered in downtown where anti-vaccine protestors have been stationed since January.
“The entire city is furious that the people who are supposed protect us have abandoned them. They have totally abandoned the rule of law. They have lost their credibility at @OttawaPolice #OttawaPoliceFailed,” tweeted Artur Wilczynski, a senior government national security official at Canada’s Communications Security Establishment.
Former minister in Trudeau’s Cabinet also attacked her federal counterparts as well as the city and province for failing to end the protests.
This is not just Ottawa. It’s the capital of the country,” Catherine McKenna tweeted. “But nobody — not the city or the provincial government, can seem to put an end to this illegal occupation. It’s appalling. Get your act together. Now.”
Trudeau has rejected calls for the military to be used, but said that all options were open to him to stop the protests which have slowed down industries on both sides. Trudeau called the protesters a “fringe of Canadian society.” Both provincial and federal politicians said that they cannot tell police what to do.
Late Saturday, Ottawa police released a statement stating that they had established a joint command centre with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). They stated that this would increase enforcement capabilities, which had been limited due to “safety issues — arising from aggressive and illegal behavior by many demonstrators — limited enforcement capabilities.”
An earlier statement by police called the protest illegal occupation and stated that they were waiting for reinforcements to implement a plan to stop the demonstrations.
Jim Watson, Ottawa mayor, declared a state-of-emergency for the capital. Hundreds of trucks were still parked in front of Parliament Buildings. Protesters set up portable toilets near the office of Prime Minister Trudeau where Trudeau’s motorcade typically parks.
Even though protesters’ cars were removed from the streets early Saturday morning, hundreds of people continued to arrive to support the crowd. They settled in a fight with police two blocks away, waving flags, and shouting.
A judge ordered that the blockade of pickup trucks and cars be ended on Friday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared an emergency, which allows for fines up to 100,000 Canadian dollars as well as imprisonment for those who illegally block roads, bridges, walkways or other critical infrastructure.
On February 7, partial closures of the bridge were initiated. By midweek, the disruption had become so severe that automakers started to reduce or stop production. This standoff occurred at a time when industry is already having trouble maintaining production due to shortages of computer chips from pandemics and other disruptions in supply chains.
Eunice Lucas-Logan, a Windsor resident, said that she is protesting the government’s taking away of her rights. “We want to remove the restrictions. We will have to wait and see.
For the past four days, the 67-year old has been supporting the protest. She expressed gratitude for the patience of police officers.
Stephanie Ravensbergen, 31, said that she came to Ottawa to support her uncle and aunt who had parked their semi on the streets since the start of the protest. She opposed the use of vaccines and masks and believes it is important that schoolchildren can see the faces and emotions of their friends.
Ravensbergen stated, “We want to have the right of choice.” “We want to be able do what everyone else can.”
A major truck crossing was shut down on the other side of Canada, between Surrey, British Columbia and Blaine (Washington), on Sunday. This closure came a day after Canadian authorities stated that a few vehicles had broken through police barricades, and a large crowd had entered the area via foot.
The RCMP released a statement stating that although no injuries were reported, they are investigating the incident.
The border crossing in Alberta was also closed.
While protestors are shaming vaccine mandates for truckers, and other COVID-19 limitations, many of Canada’s public health measures such as mask rules or vaccine passports to get into theaters and restaurants are already in decline as the omicron surge increases.
Pandemic restrictions in Canada have been much stricter than those in the U.S. but Canadians have generally supported them. The COVID-19 death rates are one-third of those in the United States.
