Canadian police on Saturday arrived at the scene of a major protest that had disrupted Canada-US trade, as several trucks blocked a key border crossing between the two nations.
The move comes after a court order had mandated that the demonstrators could not continue to block the Ambassador Bridge in the city of Windsor, Canada.
TWO WEEKS OF PROTESTS
Demonstrators are against Canada's vaccine mandates and other coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
restrictions. But they have also directed their ire toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
...hereditary prime minister of the same country that once produced McKenzie King.... In turn, Trudeau has referred to them as a "fringe'' of Canadian society.
But what began as a small, spontaneous act of collective action has lasted more than two weeks, with thousands of people taking part. Protesters at the Ambassador Bridge had shuttered traffic between the US and Canada for five days, threatening bilateral commerce.
Canadian leaders denounced the protesters and their actions.
"The illegal blockades are impacting trade, supply chains & manufacturing. They're hurting Canadian families, workers & businesses. Glad to see the Windsor Police & its policing partners commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge," Federal Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne tweeted Saturday.
"These blockades must stop,'' he added.
CONVOY HAS INSPIRED OTHERS ABROAD
Canada's protests have reverberated outside the country, in La Belle France and New Zealand.
On Saturday, police in Gay Paree intercepted at least 500 vehicles attempting to enter the city, in defiance of a police order, to participate in a "freedom convoy." Like the Canada convoy, French protesters are also against stricter rules affecting those who have either not been vaccinated or fully vaccinated.
A convoy of motorists in the US is planning to gather at the waterfront in Port Huron, Michigan, in support of protesters in Canada. Another US group said it would converge this weekend at the Peace Bridge, also a US-Canadian border crossing in Buffalo, New York.
The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest US-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two nations.
"We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully," Windsor Police said in a Twitter post, asking residents to avoid the areas linked to the demonstrations.
Police in black uniforms with yellow vests rushed behind the protesters' vehicles and formed a line across the bridge entrance.
The number of protesters had decreased from about 200 on Friday night to roughly two dozen early Saturday, as many chose to leave the area after the court order was issued.
Canada border blockade clearing peacefully as police move in
[IsraelTimes] Most demonstrators drive away as forces approach major crossing; 6-day protest disrupts flow of goods between US and its northern neighbor
Related:
Ambassador Bridge: 2022-02-11 Biden urges Trudeau get even TOUGHER with Freedom Convoy: Ontario authorizes cops to seize vehicles and fine drivers, government asks court to freeze $8.6m donated on GiveSendGo and mayor warns truckers will be 'physically removed'
Ambassador Bridge: 2022-02-08 Ambassador Bridge between Detroit & Windsor closed due to COVID protest
Ambassador Bridge: 2003-10-09 Report: Detroit Arab Leader Stripped Of FBI Award
Ambassador Bridge: 2022-02-11 Biden urges Trudeau get even TOUGHER with Freedom Convoy: Ontario authorizes cops to seize vehicles and fine drivers, government asks court to freeze $8.6m donated on GiveSendGo and mayor warns truckers will be 'physically removed'
Ambassador Bridge: 2022-02-08 Ambassador Bridge between Detroit & Windsor closed due to COVID protest
Ambassador Bridge: 2003-10-09 Report: Detroit Arab Leader Stripped Of FBI Award