Bahama Times

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Canadian protesters block the busiest international crossing in North America as tensions ramp up over Covid-19 rules

Canadian protesters block the busiest international crossing in North America as tensions ramp up over Covid-19 rules

Canadian protesters have impeded access to the busiest international crossing in North America again Tuesday, escalating tensions as frustration over demonstrations against Covid-19 rules continues to roil the nation.

After idling trucks and vehicles snarled roadways in major Canadian cities over the weekend, "Freedom Convoy" drivers hindered travel Monday at the Ambassador Bridge that links Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. Canadian-bound traffic was still shut down Tuesday morning, Michigan officials tweeted, while US-bound traffic was flowing with limited bridge access, Windsor Police and 511Ontario tweeted.

Further threatening supply chain disruptions, protests also blocked traffic overnight Monday at the Coutts access point between Alberta and Montana, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. That crossing partially reopened Tuesday afternoon, with vehicles able to cross into Canada but large commercial vehicles heading to the US asked to use the Aden, Del Bonita and Carway crossings to avoid delays, the RCMP Alberta tweeted.

The bold move at the continent's busiest international crossing signals a ratcheting up of demonstrations that have rocked Canada and galvanized thousands against its leadership.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, emerging Monday from a weeklong isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus, echoed residents and officials aggravated by the demonstrations, which began January 29 as an objection to a vaccine mandate requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated or face testing and quarantine requirements.

More protesters have since joined to rail against mask mandates, lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings and other efforts to stem the spread of Covid-19. Some have vowed not to leave until certain Covid-19 measures are rescinded, they've told CNN.

"Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy and our fellow citizens' daily lives. It has to stop," Trudeau said Monday at an emergency parliamentary debate in Ottawa.

Canada's capital city has endured widespread turmoil, including blaring horns on downtown streets and businesses forced to close temporarily. More than 60 criminal investigations are underway there, as claims of hate crimes, rock-throwing and property damage were reported, police said Sunday. At least 450 citations were issued over the weekend, they said.

On Tuesday, the Ottawa Police Service said 23 arrests have been made since the protests began on charges that include mischief, flight from police and menacing. More than 1,300 tickets have been issued for violations ranging from excessive noise and use of fireworks to driving a motor vehicle on a sidewalk.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Hugh McLean on Monday issued a 10-day injunction to prevent demonstrating truckers on downtown Ottawa streets from using air or train horns.

Ottawa resident Zexi Li, 21, who lives within five blocks of Parliament Hill, filed a lawsuit calling for an end to the incessant honking. The suit said sound levels from the air and train horns are "dangerous and cause permanent damage to the human ear" and cause "significant mental distress, suffering and torment." A hearing is set for a week from Wednesday.

"We have been 100% full-out on this for the last 10 days straight, and we will not rest until it's done, but we need more help," Police Chief Peter Sloly said Monday, appealing to all levels of government and noting his department asked the mayor's office for a "significant increase" in resources.

Police stand near protesters Monday after the mayor of Ottawa declared a state of emergency in the Canadian capital. A 10-day protest by truck drivers over Covid-19 restrictions has gridlocked its city center.


Many in Ottawa are at their "breaking point," Sloly said.

"This is crushing for those residents and their businesses. It has to stop, and we are doing everything we can possibly do to stop it," he said. "We need more help."

Protests notwithstanding, nearly 90% of Canada's truckers are fully vaccinated and eligible to cross the border, the Canadian government said. Demonstrators represent a "small, fringe minority," Trudeau said, and his government does not expect the vaccine mandate to significantly affect supply chains.

Just over 80% of Canadians in all are vaccinated, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Bridge traffic backed up for miles


Police worked Monday to restore the orderly flow of traffic due to interruptions at the exit from the Ambassador Bridge onto Huron Church Road, Windsor Police said.

"Avoid the area or find alternate route, if possible," police said, calling traffic flow "temporarily interrupted."

"Our officers continue to work hard to keep the flow of traffic moving along Huron Church Rd., as well as ensuring order and public safety. ... We encourage everyone to be patient and respectful," Windsor Police said on Twitter.

Windsor Police posted a photo online earlier in the day showing a long line of trucks appearing to be at a standstill. They also warned of travel delays and a high potential for traffic congestion, and asked "those involved not to endanger members of the public."


Access to the bridge from the US side of the border was closed, the Michigan Department of Transportation said Monday night.

"The freeway traffic trying to get across the bridge is backed up on multiple roadways and for miles," agency spokeswoman Diane Cross told CNN.

More than 40,000 commuters, tourists and truck drivers cross the Ambassador Bridge each day, according to its website.

Demonstrations affected border wait times Monday at the Ambassador Bridge, Canada Border Services said.


Seeking a 'permanent, sustainable, lawful' outcome


Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency in response to the protests, and most businesses downtown have closed or reduced their hours because of the unrest.

"No officers are on days off, everyone has been working," Sloly said Monday. "We are stretched to the limit, but we are 100% committed to using everything we have to end this demonstration. We cannot do it alone.

"That's why I have been advocating for all three levels of government to bring whatever they can bring to bear on the permanent, sustainable, lawful, safe resolution of this demonstration."

With protesters parked in trucks right outside the building, Trudeau on Monday acknowledged they had a right to voice their concerns but said residents do not deserve to be harassed in their own neighborhoods.

"This pandemic has sucked for all Canadians, but Canadians know the way to get through it is continuing to listen to science, continuing to lean on each other, continuing to be there for each other," he said after underscoring that Canadians are tired of Covid-19 health restrictions.

Conservative opposition leader Candice Bergen accused the Prime Minister of dividing Canadians and asked whether Trudeau regretted calling the protesters "names," regarding his earlier "small, fringe minority" comments.

"Does he regret calling people names who didn't take the vaccine? Does he regret calling people misogynistic and racists and just escalating and poking sticks at them?" Bergen asked in parliament.

Trudeau responded by saying most Canadians trust each other to do the right things when it comes to following science.

"This is the story of a country that got through this pandemic by being united, and a few people shouting and waving swastikas does not define who Canadians are," he said.

CNN's Ray Sanchez, Tanika Gray, Paradise Afshar, Raja Razek, Joe Sutton, Keith Allen, Laura James and Melissa Alonso contributed to this report.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bahama Times
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
BBC Personalities Rebuke Accusations Amidst Scandal Involving Teen Exploitation
A Swift Disappointment: Why Is Taylor Swift Bypassing Canada on Her Global Tour?
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
Unilever Plummets in a $2.5 Billion Free Fall, to begin with: A Reckoning for Misuse of Corporate Power Against National Interest
Beyond the Blame Game: The Need for Nuanced Perspectives on America's Complex Reality
Twitter Targets Meta: A Tangle of Trade Secrets and Copycat Culture
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
×