Over the weekend, thousands of protesters flared up in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa to raise their voice against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s COVID-19 policy, particularly the vaccine mandate, masking requirements and lockdowns.
The protesters belonged to the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy,’ which includes a group of Canadian truckers that are particularly against the Trudeau administration’s vaccine mandate on cross-border drivers. The convoy set out from British Columbia a week ago, with the police saying they were prepared for an unpredictable weekend of protests.
However, as the convoy made its way to the capital, its message gained momentum and began to encompass a broad range of anti-government grievances critical of Trudeau’s handling of the COVID-19 virus in the country. When the group of trucks reached the capital on Saturday, the drivers parked their trucks across downtown Ottawa, disrupting the city and bringing it to a halt.
According to reports, the protests were loud but largely peaceful with lots of protesters joining on foot holding various signs; one sign read, “Justin Trudeau makes me ashamed to be a Canadian.” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra pointed out that some of the protesters were holding swastika flags and Confederate flags, called it “alarming.”
On the second day of protests, Ottawa police confirmed that they had launched several criminal investigations against members of the protest including “desecration” of national monuments and threatening police/city workers. In a statement, the Ottawa police mentioned that the department is incurring a cost of upwards of $800,000 per day for policing these protests.
Tamara Lich, one of the organisers of the convoy and the founder of the relatively new Maverick Party, a right-of-centre group, said that the convoy is not leaving the capital until the government meets its demands, even after the police provided them with a “safe exit.” Speaking to a group of protesters, Lich said, “We are not leaving until all of you and all of your kids are free.” Lich’s convoy has generated around $8 million in donations on the GoFundMe site, which will be used to sustain the protests and cover fuel costs for the truckers.
Ahead of the protests, Trudeau labelled the convoy as a “small but very vocal minority of Canadians,” saying that they were “lashing out at science, at government, at society, at mandates and public health advice.” According to Trudeau, almost 90% of Canada’s cross-border truckers have had two COVID-19 vaccine shots. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Trudeau also raised concerns that the protest might turn violent, warning that violence towards public officials will not be tolerated. Trudeau is yet to make a statement following the events that took place on Saturday and Sunday.
In a statement on Saturday, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) distanced itself from the protests saying, “We ask the Canadian public to be aware that many of the people you see and hear in media reports do not have a connection to the trucking industry.” The CTA represents 4,500 carriers, owner-operators and industry suppliers.