Over the weekend, hundreds of truckers drove their giant rigs into the Canadian capital Ottawa to protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates required to cross the United States border. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family have left their home in Ottawa for a secret location. The so called “Freedom Convoy” coming from east and west, started out as a rally against a vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a demonstration against government overreach during the pandemic with a strong anti-vaccination streak.
During the highway blocking, often-violent farm protests, Trudeau had said: “The situation is concerning. And we are all worried about family and friends. Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest. We believe in the importance of dialogue.”
The main avenue outside the parliament buildings in Ottawa remained blockaded by a line of big rigs, and protesters speaking on a makeshift stage said they don’t intend to leave anytime soon. Canada’s legislature has been on a winter break since mid-December, but is scheduled to resume sitting on Monday.
Ottawa’s downtown liquor stores were closed early on Saturday and remained shuttered Sunday. Other local businesses have been swamped by demonstrators defying mask mandates, and a large downtown shopping mall closed after protesters refused to follow Covid-19 regulations.