‘Freedom Convoy’ protests in Canada enter a second week

A second weekend of protests by the so-called “freedom convoy” is taking place in the country’s capital of Ottawa, with as many as 300 to 400 trucks expected to try and enter the downtown core, according to police estimates, along with up to 2,000 people on foot and another 1,000 counter-protesters.

The demonstrations, which started out in late January as protests by truckers angry with vaccine requirements when crossing the US-Canadian border, have morphed into broader protests against COVID restrictions.

“This group is a threat to our democracy. What we’re seeing is bigger than just a City of Ottawa problem. This is a nationwide insurrection. This is madness. We need a concrete plan to put an end to this,” said Diane Deans, the chair of the police services board.

Ottawa’s police vowed Friday to crack down on an “unlawful” occupation of the Canadian capital by protesters.

“This group is emboldened by the lack of enforcement by every level of government. They are terrorizing our residents, torturing them with insentient honking, threatening them and preventing them from leading their lives,” Deans said.

The so-called “Freedom Convoy” started on Canada’s Pacific coast and picked up supporters along its 4,400-kilometer (2,700 miles) trek to the capital, as well as more than Can$10 million (US$8 million) in online donations.

Protesters have said they will not leave until all mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are dispensed with. They are also calling for the removal of Justin Trudeau’s government, though it is responsible for a few of the measures. Most have been put in place by provincial governments.

Language used by police and federal officials has been shifting over recent days, increasingly leaning on descriptors like “unlawful” and “illegal” in their comments about the demonstrations.

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said that the legal rules in place for police conduct “were never intended to deal with a city under siege,” and told members of the board that the police service does not have the resources to act to end the demonstration, including tow trucks to move the rigs encamped across the city.

Thousands of residents have complained of harassment by protesters, and an online petition demanding action has drawn 40,000 signatures. With public anger rising, Sloly has faced increased pressure to end what he has called an “unlawful” occupation of the city.

Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus has called the continued demonstration as an “occupation,” and tweeted, “I ask that we clear the streets and that we stop this occupation controlled by radicals and anarchist groups.”

I spent the week undergoing the Siege of Ottawa. If the motivation of truckers could be understood, the current situation is quite different. I ask that we clear the streets and that we stop this occupation controlled by radicals and anarchist groups. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/OU0DwyviWY— Pierre Paul-Hus (@PierrePaulHus) February 4, 2022

The tough talk comes as the number of protesters, supported by former US president Donald Trump, is set to surge again this weekend. 

The “freedom truck convoy” has attracted support from Trump and many Republicans in the United States. “The Freedom Convoy is peacefully protesting the harsh policies of far-left lunatic Justin Trudeau who has destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates,” Trump said in a statement released Friday.

Other cities including Toronto, Quebec City and Winnipeg are also bracing for protests this weekend, while a blockade of a border crossing in Alberta continues.

A former US ambassador to Canada said groups in the US need to cease interfering in Canadian affairs. 

“Under no circumstances should any group in the USA fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop,” Bruce Heyman, former US ambassador under President Barack Obama, tweeted late Saturday.

Under no circumstances should any group in the USA fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop.— Bruce A. Heyman (@BruceAHeyman) February 6, 2022

Similarly, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis complained after crowdfunding site GoFundMe said it would refund or redirect to charities the bulk of the money raised by demonstrators protesting COVID-19 measures in the Canadian capital.

“It is a fraud for @gofundme to commandeer $9M in donations sent to support truckers and give it to causes of their own choosing,” DeSantis tweeted.