The demonstration will be “massive in scale,” says Ottawa’s police chief.
QUICK FACTS:
- Trucks rolled into Canada’s capital Ottawa on Saturday to stage what police say will be a massive protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates in front of parliament on a frigid winter day, Reuters reports.
- A total of some 2,700 trucks are expected, a federal government source said.
- The “Freedom Convoy” is coming from east and west, and 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, according to Reuters.
- The main convoys are scheduled to arrive around noon, but already on Friday vehicles blocked the roads in front of parliament and on Saturday morning there were dozens of trucks gathered.
- The demonstration will be “massive in scale,” Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly said on Friday.
- Protest organizers have said the rally will be peaceful, and they have vowed to remain in Ottawa until they succeed in overturning the mandates.
WHAT SUPPORTERS SAY:
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole opposes vaccine mandates and expressed support for the protest after holding talks with some of the truckers on Friday: “I support their right to be heard, and I call on Justin Trudeau to meet with these hard-working Canadians to hear their concerns,” O’Toole said after the meeting. “Please protest safely this weekend.”
BACKGROUND:
- Prime Minister Trudeau told the Canadian Press on Friday he was worried about the protest turning violent, Reuters notes.
- Earlier this week Trudeau said the convoy represented a “small fringe minority” who do not represent the views of Canadians.
