FLANNEL MILLIONAIRE REACTIONARIES
Canadian truckers cause chaos in second day of anti-vaccine protests
Sun, 30 January 2022,
A “Freedom Convoy” of trucks joined by thousands of demonstrators brought Ottawa to a virtual standstill for a second day Sunday to protest Canada’s vaccine mandates, as other sympathetic truckers blocked a border highway into the United States.
The chaos clogged the capital’s downtown near parliament throughout the weekend and brought criticism from officials including Ottawa’s mayor.
“This afternoon, a large presence of police continues throughout the downtown core and the movement of protestors and trucks continues to be managed,” the Ottawa police said in a statement.
“These high-risk situations were de-escalated and resolved with no arrests,” the authorities said, adding that “police resources are fully stretched” in dealing with the obstruction, which appeared to involve hundreds of trucks.
The boisterous protests threatened to disrupt business Monday, with authorities stating that City Hall will remain closed, traffic will be disrupted and some other services stalled.
The protest originated last week in western Canada, where dozens of truckers organized a convoy to drive from Vancouver to the Canadian capital to demonstrate against Covid-related restrictions, particularly a recent vaccination requirement for truck drivers crossing the long US-Canada border.
Multiple convoys began arriving in Ottawa on Friday, and were joined by thousands of other anti-vaccination protesters.
In solidarity with the convergence on Ottawa, truckers Sunday staged what police described as a “complete blockage” of Highway 4 in Canada’s western Alberta province along the US border. The road is a major artery for commercial goods between the nations.
“As of right now... the port of entry remains open technically speaking, however nobody would be able to get to them except on foot,” Curtis Peters, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta, told AFP, adding that some 100 trucks were blocking the roadway.
In Ottawa, the desecration of a war memorial and harassment of some city officials and NGO volunteers sparked an angry response, and the police said they had launched “several investigations.”
“I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial,” Wayne Eyre, chief of the country’s Defense Staff, said on Twitter.
“Those involved should hang their heads in shame.”
‘Show some respect’
Barricades were installed Sunday to block vehicle access to the area around the war memorial, after several illegally parked vehicles were towed away.
And an organization advocating for the homeless, Shepherds of Good Hope, said its workers had been “harassed” by protesters demanding meals on a particularly cold weekend.
It said it had briefly given free meals to some demonstrators in an effort to defuse tensions, but added, “This weekend’s events have caused significant strain to our operations at an already difficult time.”
With protesters gathering, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family were moved Saturday to an undisclosed location in Ottawa, Canadian media reported.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson fumed over what he called “threatening” behavior by some of the protesters, particularly against the media.
“Stop the bully tactics and show some respect to fellow Canadians,” he said on Twitter.
Later, in an interview with the CBC, Watson said it was time for protesters to “move on” so Ottawa can return to normal.
“Quite frankly, (residents) feel they’re prisoners in their own home,” he said.
(AFP)
Sun, 30 January 2022,
A “Freedom Convoy” of trucks joined by thousands of demonstrators brought Ottawa to a virtual standstill for a second day Sunday to protest Canada’s vaccine mandates, as other sympathetic truckers blocked a border highway into the United States.
The chaos clogged the capital’s downtown near parliament throughout the weekend and brought criticism from officials including Ottawa’s mayor.
“This afternoon, a large presence of police continues throughout the downtown core and the movement of protestors and trucks continues to be managed,” the Ottawa police said in a statement.
“These high-risk situations were de-escalated and resolved with no arrests,” the authorities said, adding that “police resources are fully stretched” in dealing with the obstruction, which appeared to involve hundreds of trucks.
The boisterous protests threatened to disrupt business Monday, with authorities stating that City Hall will remain closed, traffic will be disrupted and some other services stalled.
The protest originated last week in western Canada, where dozens of truckers organized a convoy to drive from Vancouver to the Canadian capital to demonstrate against Covid-related restrictions, particularly a recent vaccination requirement for truck drivers crossing the long US-Canada border.
Multiple convoys began arriving in Ottawa on Friday, and were joined by thousands of other anti-vaccination protesters.
In solidarity with the convergence on Ottawa, truckers Sunday staged what police described as a “complete blockage” of Highway 4 in Canada’s western Alberta province along the US border. The road is a major artery for commercial goods between the nations.
“As of right now... the port of entry remains open technically speaking, however nobody would be able to get to them except on foot,” Curtis Peters, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta, told AFP, adding that some 100 trucks were blocking the roadway.
In Ottawa, the desecration of a war memorial and harassment of some city officials and NGO volunteers sparked an angry response, and the police said they had launched “several investigations.”
“I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial,” Wayne Eyre, chief of the country’s Defense Staff, said on Twitter.
“Those involved should hang their heads in shame.”
‘Show some respect’
Barricades were installed Sunday to block vehicle access to the area around the war memorial, after several illegally parked vehicles were towed away.
And an organization advocating for the homeless, Shepherds of Good Hope, said its workers had been “harassed” by protesters demanding meals on a particularly cold weekend.
It said it had briefly given free meals to some demonstrators in an effort to defuse tensions, but added, “This weekend’s events have caused significant strain to our operations at an already difficult time.”
With protesters gathering, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family were moved Saturday to an undisclosed location in Ottawa, Canadian media reported.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson fumed over what he called “threatening” behavior by some of the protesters, particularly against the media.
“Stop the bully tactics and show some respect to fellow Canadians,” he said on Twitter.
Later, in an interview with the CBC, Watson said it was time for protesters to “move on” so Ottawa can return to normal.
“Quite frankly, (residents) feel they’re prisoners in their own home,” he said.
(AFP)
Issued on: 30/01/2022
Hundreds of trucks and thousands of people blocked the streets of central Ottawa on Saturday as part of a self-titled “Freedom Convoy” to protest vaccine mandates required to cross the US border.
Flying the Canadian flag, waving banners demanding “Freedom” and chanting slogans against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the truckers were joined by thousands of other protesters angered not only by Covid-19 restrictions but by broader discontent with the government.
An enormous clamor rang out as hundreds of big trucks, their engines rumbling, sounded their air horns non-stop.
Closer to Parliament, families calmly marched on a bitterly cold day, while young people chanted and older people in the crowd banged pots and pans in protest under Trudeau’s office windows.
Canadian media said the prime minister and his family had been escorted out of their home and taken to a secret location in the capital, with much of the protesters’ wrath directed at Trudeau
“I want it all to stop – these measures are unjustified,” said one demonstrator, 31-year-old businessman Philippe Castonguay, outside the Parliament building.
He had driven seven hours from northern Quebec province to make his feelings known: “The vaccination requirements are taking us toward a new society we never voted for,” he said.
The protest originated last week in western Canada, where dozens of truckers organized a convoy to drive from Vancouver to Ottawa to demonstrate against Covid-related restrictions, particularly a vaccination requirement for truck drivers.
Both Canada and the United States imposed that requirement in mid-January, affecting drivers who cross the 5,500-mile (9,000-kilometer) border – the world’s longest.
The movement rapidly gained steam as the original cross-country convoy was joined by others en route to the federal capital.
Their rallying point was Parliament Hill, in the heart of Ottawa.
Government ‘intrusion’
Stephen Penderness, an unvaccinated 28-year-old trucker from Ontario, said he was protesting for all Canadians, not just his fellow drivers.
“It’s actually for every single person... everybody on the road,” he said. “It’s all about your free choice.”
Angela Bernal, a 67-year-old retired teacher said she wanted “governments to lift the measures,” adding that “maintaining the restrictions is useless.”
With a strong police presence around the federal capital the protest went off without major incident despite initial fears there could be violence.
The zone around Parliament was closed for the weekend, and Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly described the situation on the ground as “unique, fluid, risky and significant.”
Police said they fear some demonstrators will stay beyond the Saturday protest, snarling traffic further.
Trudeau, who is currently in isolation after a Covid exposure, on Wednesday defended the vaccination mandate, noting that 90 percent of drivers are already vaccinated.
He called the truckers headed for the city a “small fringe minority” who do not represent the majority of Canadians.
Trudeau said Friday that the truckers’ views – which he described as anti-science, anti-government and anti-society – posed a risk not only to themselves but to other Canadians as well.
The leader of the Conservative opposition, Erin O’Toole, urged the protesters to remain peaceful. He has promised to meet with the truckers.
The movement received an endorsement Thursday from Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who tweeted, “Canadian truckers rule.”
To date, 82 percent of Canadians aged five or older have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Among adults, the figure is 90 percent.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance, a major industry group, said the vast majority of the country’s truck drivers are vaccinated. It has “strongly disapproved” of the gathering in Ottawa.
(AFP)
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