Canada truckers - live: Busiest US border crossing at standstill as protest now ‘something Biden can’t ignore’

Ottawa remains in a state of emergency as protesters in trucks opposed to Covid-19 restrictions continue to paralyse the centre of the Canadian capital.

Hundreds of truckers have remained on the streets for 12 days. Residents are furious at the disruption and have successfully had an injunction granted banning the use of truck air horns.

Mayor Jim Watson has asked the federal government to double the size of the police force to address what he called “an aggressive and hateful occupation of our neighbourhoods”.

The “freedom convoy” has attracted support from many US Republicans including former President Donald Trump, who said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates.”

In an address on Monday, the prime minister called protestors “a few people shouting and waving swastikas” adding that does not define who Canadians are. Flags incorporating the Nazi symbol were seen in the initial days of the protest.

Separately, the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit was blockaded by trucks in both directions late on Monday and remains at a standstill.

It is a crucial commercial link between the US and Canada and given the impact on supply chain is considered a problem that the Biden administration can no longer ignore.

Key Points

• Canadian truckers block off Michigan border bridge

• Trudeau again calls out protesters who waived swastikas

• Court grants ‘honking injunction’ against ‘Freedom Convoy’

• Canada asks US Republicans to stay out of domestic affairs

‘This isn’t something the Biden administration can ignore’

20:33 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN reporter Paula Newton, speaking from Ottawa on the ongoing protest in Canada’s capital and the standstill on the busiest crossing between the US and Canada, says that the “Freedom Convoy” is not something the Biden administration can ignore.

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“The Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor is quite an escalation,” Ms Newton told anchor Kate Bolduan. “Look, I’ve been up and down these streets. I’ve spoken to them. They say they’re not going anywhere.”

More than a quarter of cross-border trade between the US and Canada crosses the bridge - approximately $100bn of trade annually.

The Trudeau government in Ottawa is framing the protest as the actions of a fringe group, but there is no clear path to end the crisis given the lack of any will to negotiate with the truckers by officials.

“At this point, they are saying that, look, this is a fringe minority. And yet people here say that is not the case, that there is a significant minority,” said Ms Newton.

“Kate, I will tell you this isn’t something the Biden administration can ignore, especially given those bridge crossings. There could be impacts on the supply chain between the United States and Canada.”

Trudeau: 'We’re all sick and tired of restrictions, of mandates’

20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterates remarks he made in parliament on Monday evening: “We’re all sick and tired of restrictions, of mandates, of having to make sacrifices … it’s been two years and it’s really, really tiring for all of us.”

Trucks backed up at border as bridge blockade jams US-Canada trade

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

On Tuesday morning one lane of traffic reopened on the Ambassador Bridge linking Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario, but the surrounding roads are clogged with trucks whose drivers are protesting Canada’s vaccine mandate.

Towing companies refusing to move trucks

19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Officials in Ottawa say towing companies contracted to work with the city are refusing to move vehicles that are part of the trucker convoy protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

“I’ve contacted them all and they’re all refusing, as of today, to provide heavy tow truck work,” city manager Steve Kanellakos told reporters on Monday evening after a six-hour council meeting.

Hundreds of trucks are illegally parked in the streets of the Canadian capital and have now been there for approaching two weeks.

Protesters say they will only leave their posts when vaccine mandates are lifted.

It is also very difficult to tow a truck without the help of the driver. Earlier on Tuesday the police said some vehicles had removed their tires and blown their brakes to make them harder to move.

“There are many layers of complexity to dismantling this occupation,” said Ottawa Police Service Deputy Chief Steve Bell.

Ottawa Police Service holds briefing

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Deputy Chief Steve Bell held a Zoom press conference over lunchtime in which he said that the police service is working to brief every officer on the terms of the court order regarding horns and their role in enforcement.

Mr Bell revealed that Ottawa and Ohio police worked together and laid a charge against an individual who was “calling in fake threats designed to deceive and distract emergency resources”.

The deputy chief says that yesterday when the police were attempting to take fuel from a group of convoy protestors, some officers were swarmed by other demonstrators. A criminal investigation is now underway.

Mr Bell adds that there have been no serious injuries to police officers up to this point. Any altercations have been minor and the police have continued to be able to work.

He says that it is a challenge for police to stop and conduct searches, and seize gas cans if a large number of protesters are filling them with water.

“It identifies a level of sophistication ... and ability to subvert police efforts ... That is concerning to us,” says the deputy chief, maintaining that it is important to cut off fuel into the area, but noting that there are many ways the flow of fuel is coming in.

He adds that the 1,800 officers requested by the city will help improve this operation.

Asked about moving some of the vehicles, Mr Bell says that some have taken off their tires, or blown their brakes to make them harder to move.

“There are many layers of complexity to dismantling this occupation,” he says.

Mr Bell says almost 25 per cent of the 418 trucks present in the city have children staying in them with their parents, “who could be at risk during a police investigation”.

He says that the Children’s Aid Society is involved to deal with kids who are staying with their parents at the protest.

Music and police presence at protest near Parliament Hill

19:10 , Oliver O'Connell

ICYMI: Trudeau ignores question about military

18:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Last night after the emergency House of Commons debate on the trucker protest. Prime Minister Trudeau ignored a question about the possibility of bringing in the military.

He has previously said a military response is not in the cards.

The 21-year-old woman who silenced the trucker protest honking in downtown Ottawa

18:32 , Oliver O'Connell

A 21-year-old resident of Ottawa’s Centretown is being hailed for her role in silencing the constant blaring and honking of truck horns by the protest convoy.

Zexi Li is the lead plaintiff in a proposed C$9.8m class action lawsuit filed on behalf of local residents after the noise had gone on for more than a week, terrorising the community.

“This situation, quite frankly, really ruffled my feathers,” Ms Li told CTV Morning Live on Tuesday. “I really, really felt that no matter what, I had to do something.

Trucker protest convoy honking silenced by 21-year-old Ottawa woman’s lawsuit

How’s the air horn ban going?

18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Violators of the court-ordered injunction against the honking of horns could face stiff penalties.

Protestors drink from jerry cans to confuse fuel ban enforcement

17:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Trudeau demands end to trucker protest says ‘people waving swastikas’ don’t represent Canada

17:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has demanded an end to the continuing protest by hundreds of truckers against Covid-19 restrictions that has paralysed Ottawa for 12 days.

“It has to stop,” Mr Trudeau said during an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Monday night following his return to parliament after isolating for a week due to a positive Covid-19 test.

“This pandemic has sucked for all Canadians,” he said. “Everyone’s tired of Covid, but these protests are not the way to get through it.”

Trudeau demands end to trucker convoy protest denouncing swastika use

17:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Liberal MP speaks out against Trudeau pandemic policies and handling of trucker protests

16:44 , Oliver O'Connell

A Liberal MP has spoken out against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pandemic policies and how the ongoing trucker convoy protest is being handled.

Joel Lightbound, the Louis-Hébert, Quebec, MP, spoke at a press conference on Parliament Hill on Tuesday morning saying that he believes those concerned about Covid-19 policies have “legitimate concerns” and that these should be addressed.

He thinks political leaders are “unwilling to adapt” and have failed at explaining to Canadians the rationale for continued public health measures that he thinks are impacting mental health, dividing families, and causing some to become unemployed through their decision to not get vaccinated.

Mr Lightbound wants a clear roadmap from federal and provincial governments showing how and when restrictions will be lifted.

The Liberal MP also condemned some of the behaviour seen during the protests and added that he has also faced threats from “extreme right groups” during his time in office.

He agrees with the federal government’s position that it’s time for the truckers to move along, does not agree with what he sees as Mr Trudeau’s generalisations about the concerns of those taking part in the protests.

Mr Lightbound says he wants to remain a part of the Liberal Party and hopes that there is room for dissent and different opinions. He adds that he would support the government in a confidence vote.

Demonstrations still clogging Ambassador Bridge

16:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Supporters of the trucker convoy protest continue to delay traffic at the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing between the US and Canada.

While the bridge is accessible from some entrances, according to police in Windsor, Ontario, there are huge delays and the public have been advised to avoid the area until traffic is flowing smoothly once again.

‘This pandemic has sucked'

16:05 , Oliver O'Connell

During last night’s emergency debate on the trucker convoy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau correctly noted that “this pandemic has sucked”.

Is the honking ban working?

15:50 , Oliver O'Connell

CTV’s Mackenzie Gray says all is quiet in Ottawa, both last night and this morning.

Canadian officials slam interference of GOP

15:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Many members of the US Republican Party have made comments supporting the trucker demonstrations, including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a “far left lunatic” who has “destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates.”

Prominent member of the GOP including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton complained after crowdfunding site GoFundMe said it would refund the vast majority of the millions of dollars raised by demonstrators.

The site said it cut off funding for protest organisers after determining that their efforts violated the site’s terms of service by engaging in unlawful activity. Ontario Provincial Premier Doug Ford has called the protest an occupation.

In response, Mr Paxton tweeted: “Patriotic Texans donated to Canadian truckers’ worthy cause.” Texas Senator Ted Cruz said on Fox News that “government doesn’t have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates”.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino shot back: “It is certainly not the concern of the Texas attorney general as to how we in Canada go about our daily lives in accordance with the rule of law.”

“We need to be vigilant about potential foreign interference. ... Whatever statements may have been made by some foreign official are neither here nor there. We’re Canadian. We have our own set of laws. We will follow them,” Mendicino said.

Dominic LeBlanc, the minister of intergovernmental affairs, blamed the GOP interference for inciting disorderly conduct and helping to fund entities that are not respecting Canadian law. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said Paxton was wrong for commenting on it.

Bruce Heyman, a former US ambassador to Canada, said groups in the US need to stop funding and interfering in the domestic affairs of America’s neighbour.

With reporting from the Associated Press

Canadian truckers block off Michigan border bridge

15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Canadian truckers protesting against Covid-19 restrictions temporarily closed the border bridge between Canada and the US state of Michigan on Monday.

Demonstrators blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge that links Detroit and the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario, preventing other motorists from passing.

Io Dodds reports.

Canadian truckers block off US border bridge as vaccine mandate protest hits day 11

Court grants ‘honking injunction’ against ‘Freedom Convoy’

14:24 , Oliver O'Connell

A court in Canada has granted an injunction preventing truckers participating in the ongoing “Freedom Convoy” against Covid-19 vaccine mandates from honking as a part of their protest.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Court grants ‘honking injunction’ against ‘Freedom Convoy’

Trudeau again calls out protesters who waived swastikas

13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Canada’s prime minister says that Ottawa’s residents did not deserve “to be confronted with the inherent violence of a swastika flying on a street corner”, after the Nazi symbol was seen in the initial days of the protest against the country’s Covid mandates.

“This is a 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 reportedly continued, while asking for the truckers to stop.

“We asked Canadians how they wanted to keep fighting this pandemic, and their answer was clear,’ Mr Trudeau said in parliament. ‘Canadians chose vaccines. They chose science.’

The Liberal party leader has already called out those who were seen flying swastikas during the protest, which has continued going beyond expectations – and has caught the world’s attention – with many on the far right supporting the demonstrations.

Fundraiser for truckers remerges on alternative platform

12:55 , Gino Spocchia

After GoFundMe pulled a fundraiser for the Ottawa truckers from its website at the weekend, the group and its supporters from the American right have reportedly moved the fundraiser elsewhere.

A Christian crowdfunding site called GiveSendGo has now become home to a fundraiser for the truckers, and raised more than $2m in two days.

The platform has been reportedly used to raise money for members of the far right as well accused teenager shooter Kyle Rittenhouse and accused 6 January rioters.

Read about why GoFundMe removed the original fundraiser for Canada’s truckers, below:

What happened to the GoFundMe for Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ truckers?

Trudeau says protest ‘has to stop’

12:35 , Gino Spocchia

Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau issued another statement about the trucker protest on Monday night and said the more than week-long demonstration “has to stop”.

“They don’t have the right to blockade our economy, or our democracy, or our fellow citizens’ daily lives,” said the Liberal party leader, after a state of emergency was declared by Ottawa’s mayor.

Mr Trudeau went on to say that “we’ll continue to be there with whatever resources are needed to get the situation under control,” with no sign of the truckers ending their protest against Covid mandates.

New Zealand sees Canada-inspired ‘freedom’ convoy

12:05 , Gino Spocchia

Here is another image from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, where a copycat demonstration against the country’s stringent rules on Covid were the focus of a protest outside the parliament building on Tuesday.

New Zealand, which has been effectively closed off to the world since March 2020, has among the lowest death tolls of the pandemic – with just 53 recorded in two years. The United States has recorded 900,00, in comparison.

‘Freedom convoy’ boosted by social media reach

11:40 , Gino Spocchia

Tens of thousands of messages about the Ottawa protest have reportedly been shared on Telegram, the social media platform favoured members of the American far right.

Politico also found more than 7,000 posts on Facebook about the truckers’ convoy on US-based Facebook pages, with those posts collecting more than 10 million interactions from 22 January 22 to 5 February.

On Telegram, messages for truckers reportedly advised them to avoiding confrontation with counter protesters, who “are there to bait you”, and which could be captured by news outlets.

The report said both platforms had allowed Republicans and critics of Covid regulations to call for support and fund-raising for the Ottawa ‘freedom convoy’, as well as inspiring other protests in Canada, the US and across the world.

Ciaran O’Connor, an analyst from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told Politico that “Rightwing US political figures and content creators…really gave it a boost that made it global,” said

“Donations from abroad are quite a common part of any large crowdfunding campaign,” he added. “But the scale of this one is unprecedented.”

Canadian driver charged with hitting four people

11:20 , Gino Spocchia

A 42-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly ran over four people at an anti-vaccine mandate protest in the Canadian province of Winnipeg on Friday.

The incident, which reportedly took place outside the legislature building in Manitoba, comes amid the more than week-long protest against Covid mandates in Ottawa.

Read the full story here:

Canadian driver charged with hitting four people during protest

Ottawa police chief says protesters ‘highly organised'

11:00 , Gino Spocchia

Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly has described the trucker protest as “extremely committed” and suggested that people from the US were helping to organise and fund the protests – which have stretched into a second week.

He told Politico that protesters were able to resist “all attempts to end the demonstrations safely” as a result of “significant elements from the United States”, in an interview on Monday.

Thousands of posts on Telegram, a social media platform used by the far-right, have meanwhile seen groups with tens of thousands of members share information and updates on the Canada protests – as well as links to fundraisers for the truckers – the outlet reported.

New Zealand copycat protest ‘not the majority’, says PM

10:40 , Gino Spocchia

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the Canada-inspired ‘freedom’ convoy that has descended on the country’s capital.

Ms Arden said those protesting Covid rules did not represent the majority view and that “it would be wrong to in any way characterise what we’ve seen outside as a representation of the majority”.

Her first in-person address to parliament in a year came as the protesters vowed to camp outside the parliament building until all Covid-19 curbs are lifted, reported Reuters.

The New Zealand prime minister – whose government has enforced some of the strongest Covid regulations on its citizens – added: “The majority of New Zealanders have done everything they can to keep one another safe.”

ICYMI: Canada asks US Republicans to stay out of domestic affairs

10:20 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Canada’s public safety minister said that the US officials should stay out of his country’s domestic affairs after several GOP leaders supported truckers protesting vaccine mandates.

Marco Mendicino said that “we need to be vigilant about potential foreign interference ... Whatever statements may have been made by some foreign official are neither here nor there. We’re Canadian. We have our own set of laws. We will follow them.”

The comments come after many US Republican leaders — including Donald Trump — supported demonstrators. Mr Trump even called Justin Trudeau a “far-left lunatic” who has “destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates.”

Canadian truckers being treated like a terror group, Tucker Carlson says

09:50 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Tucker Carlson has said that “people in charge” in Canada are not “really thinking the consequences of their actions through.”

He said on Fox News that Canadian truckers are being “treated like a terror group.”

The Fox News host said: “It’s not Al Qaeda. These are Canadian citizens who drive trucks for a living, but they’re being treated like a terror group.”

He added: “Thousands of truck drivers have descended on Ottawa, the capital city, to protest the tyranny of Justin Trudeau’s government. Justin Trudeau does not like truck drivers. He thinks they’re revolting. Justin Trudeau likes private equity barons and tech moguls, the only people who give him money. Trudeau is not in Ottawa right now. In fact, he and his family fled when the truck drivers arrived and they’ve been in hiding ever since. So when the revolution he has been calling for finally arrived, Justin Trudeau wasn’t there to see it. He ran away in terror, kind of sad.

“According to Justin Trudeau, possessing gasoline in the city of Ottawa is now a crime. Now, to be clear, Ottawa didn’t declare the state of emergency because the truckers lit a courthouse on fire or shot someone or levelled a church. BLM did all of those things, but Justin Trudeau strongly supports BLM,” Mr Carlson said.

Police in Canada seize thousands of litres of fuel

09:08 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Police said on Monday that they have seized thousands of litres of fuel and removed an oil tanker as well in an attempt to end the truckers’ 11-day protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

Police in Canada also claimed that they have noticed a reduced number of trucks and protester numbers had fallen significantly as well.

Meanwhile, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has asked for reinforcements for police officials.

In a letter to Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on Monday, Mr Watson wrote: “The occupation has turned into an aggressive and hateful occupation of our neighbourhoods. People are living in fear and are terrified.”

Court grants ‘honking injunction’ against ‘Freedom Convoy’

07:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A court in Canada has granted an injunction preventing truckers participating in the ongoing “Freedom Convoy” against Covid-19 vaccine mandates from honking as a part of their protest.

Read the full story here:

Court grants ‘honking injunction’ against ‘Freedom Convoy’

Canadian truckers block off Michigan border bridge as protest against vaccine mandates hits day 11

06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Canadian truckers protesting against Covid-19 restrictions temporarily closed the border bridge between Canada and the US state of Michigan on Monday.

Demonstrators blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge that links Detroit and the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario, preventing other motorists from passing.

Read the full story here:

Canadian truckers block off US border bridge as vaccine mandate protest hits day 11

Truckers asked to stop honking

05:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Truckers protesting the government’s vaccine mandates have been ordered to stop honking their horns.

For the next 10 days, a judge in Ottawa — Hugh McLean — has ordered that truckers silence their horns.

In a ruling on Monday, Judge McLean said: “Tooting a horn is not an expression of any great thought I’m aware of.”

The honking of horns had become a definitive feature of the truckers’ protests and residents and business owners in Ottawa had complained of this.

Meanwhile, protest organisers on Sunday had also called for a temporary stop to the honking until midday as a “gesture of goodwill” towards residents.

Protesters block Ambassador Bridge

05:04 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Canadian truckers protesting Covid vaccination mandates have temporarily closed the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detroit and the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario.

The protesters blocked the traffic on the largest international suspension bridge and prevented motorists from passing. Many held placards that asked for an end to the mandates.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, motorists should use the tunnel rather than the bridge, or head to the Blue Water Bridge that goes from Port Huron to Sarnia, Ontario.

Military response not on cards for Covid protests says Trudeau

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday a military response to the ongoing Ottawa protest against COVID-19 measures is “not in the cards right now.’’

Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly said this week that all options are on the table, including calling in the military, to end the ongoing demonstration that was being called an “occupation” by some on the city council.

Canada PM: military response not in cards for COVID protests

Justin Trudeau says ‘protest has to stop’

04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Justin Trudeau, speaking in the parliament on Monday, said that the truckers’ protest has to stop as it is affecting the economy.

He said: “Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy and our fellow citizens’ daily lives, it has to stop.”

He added: “People of Ottawa don’t deserve to be harassed in their own neighbourhoods. They don’t deserve to be confronted with the inherent violence of a swastika flying on a street corner or Confederate flag.

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

New Zealand truckers block streets protesting Covid curbs

03:31 , Maroosha Muzaffar

After Canada, now New Zealand truckers have blocked the streets near the country’s parliament in Wellington on Tuesday to protest the Covid restrictions and vaccinations.

Hundreds of trucks and other kinds of vehicles parked near the parliament building, The Beehive, and several had messages scrawled on them that read “give us back our freedom” and “coercion is not consent.”

AFP quoted a man, Stu Main, as saying: “I’m actually vaccinated but I’m against mandating people to be vaccinated. I think it’s disgraceful, forcing vaccination on people who don’t want it.”

The demonstration was peaceful, and reports said that police made no arrests.

ICYMI: Ottawa mayor declares state of emergency over ‘serious danger’

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The mayor of Ottawa has declared a state of emergency in the Canadian capital over the “serious danger and threat” posed by truckers protesting against the Covid-19 vaccine mandate, as demonstrations continue to spread across the country.

Mayor Jim Watson issued the emergency declaration on Sunday over the “ongoing demonstration” which has now entered its second week and has left law enforcement struggling to keep control of the city.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Ottawa mayor declares state of emergency over ‘serious danger’ of trucker protests

Canada pushes back against GOP support for Covid protests

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Canada s public safety minister said Monday that US officials should stay out of his country’s domestic affairs, joining other Canadian leaders in pushing back against prominent Republicans who offered support for the protests of Covid-19 mandates that have besieged downtown Ottawa for more than a week.

A day after the city declared a state of emergency, the mayor pleaded for almost 2,000 extra police officers to help quell the raucous nightly demonstrations staged by the so-called Freedom Truck Convoy, which has used hundreds of parked trucks to paralyze the Canadian capital’s business district. The protests have also infuriated people who live around downtown, including neighborhoods near Parliament Hill, the seat of the federal government.

Embattled Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly called the demonstration an “unprecedented protest never seen in Canada” and acknowledged that authorities failed to plan for it to last more than three days.

Canada pushes back against GOP support for COVID protests

ICYMI: Canada police act to rein in protests against Covid measures

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Protesters opposed to vaccine mandates and Covid-19 restrictions held rallies in cities across Canada on Saturday in a show of solidarity with a week-long demonstration in the national capital.

Officials in Ottawa and numerous provincial capitals worked to ensure that escalating protests against pandemic-related public health measures remained peaceful Saturday.

By midday Saturday in Ottawa, thousands of demonstrators mingled near open fires on the snow-plastered lawn in front Parliament Hill. Participants roasted hotdogs and doled out baked goods under tarps, while two men on horseback traipsed through the town, one carrying a flag in support of former US president Donald Trump

Canada police act to rein in protests against COVID measures

What happened to the trucker GoFundMe?

00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has announced it is freezing millions of dollars raised in support of anti-vaxxer truckers in Canada and will instead refund donors in full, citing police reports of violence as the reason behind its decision.

Joe Sommerlad reports for The Independent.

What happened to the GoFundMe for Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ truckers?

No, The Simpsons did not predict the Canada truckers convoy

Monday 7 February 2022 23:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Claims that The Simpsons “predicted” the Canada truckers convoy protest have been debunked.

In recent years, the animated series has been said to have predicted everything from Richard Branson’s zero-gravity space flight to Donald Trump’s presidency and the recent UK fuel shortage.

The latest news event which fans claim to have previously featured on The Simpsons involves current protests occurring in Canada.

Isobel Lewis reports.

No, The Simpsons did not predict the Canada truckers convoy

Alaska truckers rally in support of Canada protest

Monday 7 February 2022 22:25 , Oliver O'Connell

The Anchorage Daily News reports that more than 100 Alaska truck drivers rallied from Anchorage to Eagle River on Sunday to support Canadian truck drivers opposed to Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

Anchorage Assembly member Jamie Allard organised the event to support the truckers who have rallied in Ottawa since last weekend. Since 15 January, truck drivers and other essential service providers are allowed to enter Canada only if they are fully vaccinated. The US required vaccinations from essential non-resident travelers on 22 January.

The participants Sunday – including truckers and drivers in personal vehicles – filled the Cabela’s parking lot in South Anchorage before 1 pm and started driving to their final destination, the Eagle River Lions Club, after 1.30 pm. Another convoy drove to Eagle River from the Mat-Su.

Ottawa protestor equates actions with D-Day

Monday 7 February 2022 21:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Police launch arson investigation after attempt at lighting building on fire

Monday 7 February 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In the midst of the trucker protest two men were caught on camera attempting to light a building on fire by burn a package of firelighters in the lobby at 5am.

One of the men also taped the door shut to stop anyone getting in or out. According to a tenant in the building one of the men said they were connected to the convoy protests.

After they set the fire and left, a passer-by saw the flames and managed to open the door and put out the fire.

City councillor calls for federal government to take over policing of Parliamentary precinct

Monday 7 February 2022 21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Councillor Catherine McKenney wants the city to ask the federal government to take over control of the Parliamentary precinct.

She tweets that their motion for dealing with the occupation asks the federal government to take over policing responsibility of the Parliamentary Precinct so that local services prioritise residents.

About those air horns...

Monday 7 February 2022 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

They are still going loud and they’re very loud.

Ottawa mayor asks Trudeau for more police

Monday 7 February 2022 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Marco Mendicino, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, to ask for an additional 1,800 police officers and staff.

Mr Watson said that the demonstration has turned into “an aggressive and hateful occupation of our neighbourhoods” that has nothing to do with vaccine mandates.

Noting the city’s gratitude for the officers already on loan, he calls for “a dramatic and immediate injection of additional officers”.

The request is for 1,000 regular officers, 600 public order officers, 100 investigative officers, and 100 civilian staff, as well as all the supporting resources.

Judge bans air horns at protests

Monday 7 February 2022 20:10 , Oliver O'Connell

A judge will order a 10-day injunction against the use of air horns at protests — a big complaint of people living in downtown Ottawa after 11 days of disruption and noise.

The wording of the order is still to being decided on and a lawyer representing the police will be consulted as to how the ruling will be enforced.

City wants to increase fines

Monday 7 February 2022 19:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa city officials have written to the chief justice of Ontario asking to increase how much they can fine people for violations of parking and noise restrictions.

The fine for idling could be increased from $100 to $1,000, a noise violation could go up to $1,000 from $490, and encumbering a roadway would also rise to $1,000 from $350.

Ottawa Police chief asks to double size of force

Monday 7 February 2022 19:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly has told the city council that he needs 1,800 more police and civilian staff to deal with the “Freedom Convoy” demonstration.

The city’s police force currently employs a total of 2,100 people.

Mr Sloly has also asked for changes to noise and parking bylaws to help deal with the protest.

What happened to the trucker GoFundMe?

Monday 7 February 2022 19:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has announced it is freezing millions of dollars raised in support of anti-vaxxer truckers in Canada and will instead refund donors in full, citing police reports of violence as the reason behind its decision.

Joe Sommerlad reports for The Independent.

What happened to the GoFundMe for Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ truckers?

Police call for more resources

Monday 7 February 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Police have called for more resources as focus turns to seizing fuel from trucker protestors.

Trucker gets a trim

Monday 7 February 2022 18:50 , Oliver O'Connell

On day 11 of the protest, it’s apparently time for a hair cut.

Thousands of litres of fuel seized

Monday 7 February 2022 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

CTV reports that on Sunday night, dozens of armed police officers and firefighters moved into a parking lot at the Ottawa Baseball Stadium on Coventry Road just before 7pm and seized 3,200 litres of fuel being stored there.

Police said the stadium, about 3 miles or 5km away from Parliament Hill, had become a staging area for the demonstration featuring a wooden structure providing meals, a bouncy castle, a sauna, and a hot tub.

Mayor Jim Watson said: “It’s disturbing when you see the protest turning into what looks like some kind of fun carnival, where they’ve got bouncy castles and hot tubs and saunas.”

He described it as “a complete insult to the people who are putting up with this nonsense” adding it showed “a great deal of insensitivity”.

Protest sets ‘terrible precedent'

Monday 7 February 2022 18:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says: “It would be a terrible precedent to say that if you show up to the nation’s capital with heavy equipment and blockade the capital city that you can force reckless change in our public policy.”

Class action suit against truckers

Monday 7 February 2022 18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

“There is a way to do a protest and this, quite frankly, is not it,” says Zexi Li, the lead plaintiff in the multi-million dollar class action lawsuit against the trucker protest filed on behalf of local residents.

The suit seeks C$4.8m in damages for private nuisance and punitive damages amounting to $5m.

Monday 7 February 2022 18:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Protest closures continue

Monday 7 February 2022 17:41 , Oliver O'Connell

CTV reports that the Rideau Centre shopping mall, Ottawa City Hall and the Rink of Dreams, two public library branches and two Covid-19 vaccination clinics all remain closed due to the ongoing road closures and traffic gridlock in downtown Ottawa.

Cadillac Fairview, which owns the Rideau Centre, said that authorities “cannot provide any assurances that it is safe” to open the mall.

A statement from the company reads:

While our shared primary concern remains public safety and the safety of those that work within CF Rideau Centre, we are increasingly concerned about the economic impact and financial burden for the thousands of employees and 175 businesses that call CF Rideau Centre home.

The continued closure of an important community space, the loss of employment income, and the financial impact on our clients is heart-breaking given all of our shared pain and sacrifice during the pandemic.

The situation in Ottawa’s downtown core is untenable and we call on all levels of government to collaborate on a solution.

CTV reporter says protestors resupplying

Monday 7 February 2022 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

CTV’s Glen McGregor posted two videos to Twitter showing what appears to be protestors bringing in more fuel despite police warnings that they would crackdown on resupplying the truckers.

Police chief stands by handling of situation, won’t resign

Monday 7 February 2022 17:25 , Oliver O'Connell

In an interview with CTV, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly stands by his handling of the convoy protests after another weekend of disruption. Asked if he would resign, Mr Sloly replied: “Absolutely not. I came here to do a job.”

Pressed on what had gone wrong, Mr Sloly said: “I don’t think anybody dropped the ball. This is an unprecedented situation and we’re all responding to it; some more effectively than others.”

He added: “I don’t think we ever lost control of the crowd. We had 3,000 trucks come into the city and I head as much as 10-15,000 [people] at the height of the demonstration. That is a massive incursion that happened within hours ... We contained it without any loss of life, injury or rioting, as soon as we got resources we got back on top of it.”

Is the police crackdown working?

Monday 7 February 2022 17:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Seven arrests by Ottawa Police

Monday 7 February 2022 16:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Police have made multiple arrests and issued 100 tickets in relation to the trucker protest a statement released on Sunday night says.

• Two people were arrested on Coventry Road for mischief

• Multiple vehicles and fuel have been seized.

• Officers arrested three individuals at Metcalfe and Slater for mischief. The investigation is ongoing and updates will follow.

• Two more people were arrested this morning. One person was charged for driving while prohibited and the other for mischief relating to property damage of a downtown business.

• The OPS issued a warning earlier today advising the public that anyone found bringing fuel to the demonstration trucks in red zone could be subject to arrest and charges. This is effective immediately.

• Confederation Park has been fully cleared and fenced.

• More than 100 Highway Traffic Act and other Provincial Offence Notices were issued including excessive honking, driving the wrong way, defective muffler, no seat belt, alcohol readily available and having the improper class of driving licence.

Further updates and charges will be released later on Monday.

There are over 60 criminal investigations so far related to the demonstration. They are primarily for mischief, thefts, hate crimes and property damage.

To date, the Ottawa Police Service has received 100 Ontario Provincial Police officers to assist with the demonstrations.

Mayor calls out irresponsible behaviour: ‘Absolute disgrace’

Monday 7 February 2022 16:51 , Oliver O'Connell

On Sunday, Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency, giving the city the “administrative tool” to cut red tape over issues such as procurement.

Mr Watson told CTV News that police will now take a “more aggressive stand”.

“They have to be much more aggressive in terms of these fines. Someone is going to get killed or seriously injured because of the irresponsible behaviour of some of these people who are honking their horns and destroying the fabric of neighbourhoods,” Mr Watson said.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to be a combination of enforcement, to a certain degree, as well as compromise and cutting off the supply lines of these people.”

He added: “We can’t allow them to have barbecues and turn this into a real carnival. It’s an absolute disgrace.”

Ottawa mayor calls for mediator

Monday 7 February 2022 16:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa’s mayor is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to appoint a mediator in an effort to end the ‘Freedom Convoy’ occupation of the centre of the city.

Jim Watson said he has suggested to federal ministers that a mediator could be “an honest broker on both sides to try to find some common ground, if that’s possible”.

“Someone of great stature in our community and the country who can actually open doors and bring some peace and calm to the situation,” Mr Watson told CTV Morning Live. “That’s one option that I think the federal government should pursue, because right now we’re at a complete standoff.”

Mr Watson’s suggestion comes ahead of a special council meeting Monday afternoon, with the ongoing demonstration entering an 11th day.

Ottawa Police threaten arrests

Monday 7 February 2022 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Ottawa Police have threatened arrest for anyone attempting to bring material supports, including fuel, to the demonstrators.

The Simpsons did not predict the Canada trucker protest

Monday 7 February 2022 16:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Claims that The Simpsons “predicted” the Canada truckers convoy protest have been debunked.

Isobel Lewis has the story.

No, The Simpsons did not predict the Canada truckers convoy

Vancouver mayor and Ted Cruz spar on Twitter over convoy

Monday 7 February 2022 15:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart and US senator Ted Cruz are embroiled in a verbal showdown on Twitter about the massive “freedom convoy” of Canadian truckers protesting against vaccine mandates.

Mr Cruz weighed in on Canadian affairs after Mr Stewart, Vancouver mayor, released a statement on 5 February, urging protesters to “go home” to make their point ahead of truckers’ planned protests in the city.

“As the Mayor of a city with an over 95 per cent vaccination rate, my message to the convoy is this: Vancouver doesn’t want you here. Make your point and then go home,” the statement by Mr Stewart said.

Canadian mayor shuts down Ted Cruz as he encourages truckers to starve country