Government Apartments on Reading Road in Rosenberg Texas

The convoy of Canadian truckers and supporters undertook a cross-land journeying to Ottawa to protest over Covid restrictions

After a week-long drive from British Columbia province, a group of Canadian long-haul truck drivers – dubbed the 'Freedom Convoy' – made its way across the state to Ottawa, the national capital in the eastern province of Ontario on Saturday. The big rigs now boss the national capital, casting a long shadow over political soapbox both in the country and beyond. Thousands of truckers, and supporters, continue to protest against the federal government's vaccine mandates and other Covid-19 policies – under the glare of law enforcement officials and the national media spotlight. Here'due south what we know so far.

1. Then, what kicked off the 'Liberty Convoy' exactly?

Until mid-Jan, cantankerous-border truck drivers in Canada were exempt from vaccine requirements – significant they could drive to the U.s.a. and dorsum without needing to prove vaccination status. Subsequently the government instituted a mandate that imposed a quarantine on unvaccinated drivers, a band of truckers in western Canada organized a cantankerous-country drive to protest in Ottawa.

The movement gathered momentum and public support as it traveled east. It also garnered the backing of those who are opposed to Prime Government minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government and that of anti-vaccine mandate groups frustrated with pandemic restrictions that they view equally "political overreach." According to a statement past organizers, the convoy demands that federal and provincial governments close down vaccine passports and all other "obligatory vaccine contact-tracing programs," and "terminate Covid-xix vaccine mandates."

2. Are there really thousands of trucks on the road?

In its argument on Wednesday, the organizers said that "although our initial convoy [was] estimated to be i,600 trucks, that number significantly increased to 36,000 trucks in simply a few days. It is now estimated that the number of heavy trucks heading to Ottawa is closer to 50,000." However, national media outlets and law enforcement bodies have reported anywhere from "hundreds" of trucks to figures in the low thousands over the past week. Some calculations have besides accounted for cars and SUVs that accept also apparently latched onto the convoy. The real figure likely lies somewhere in between – with the Canadian Trucking Brotherhood having estimated that the vaccine mandate would bear on some xvi,000 drivers since it claimed that between 85-ninety% of the land's 120,000 cross-border truckers have been jabbed.

3. Practice the truckers have popular support?

Over the past week, videos on social media platforms and news footage have shown trucks and other vehicles chugging along highways and city streets, cheered on by crowds of people gathered on the roadsides and overpasses. Big groups of people have also been waving Canadian flags and holding up signs that take aim at both Trudeau and his policies. The organizers accept claimed to "have the support of millions of Canadians from beyond the country."  While regime have not released figures about the number of people who arrived in Ottawa, local police force sources told media outlets that the crowds in the capital's Downtown area and Parliament Hill were like to those seen during big gatherings on major public holidays – typically running into the tens of thousands. Reports in Canadian media have also highlighted crowds gathering for local rallies being held at diverse places in support of the Freedom Convoy. Some other metric that hinted at the movement's wider popularity is a GoFundMe campaign that has seen Can$ 8.6 million (United states$ half dozen.7 million) raised from over 108,000 people over the by week.

All the same, the truckers' demonstration has also prompted criticism from those who consider its participants to be "far-right" and spreading "disinformation." Ottawa police have told the media they were preparing for counter-protests and that they have received a "straight threat" aimed at officers from an unspecified individual. Officials have as well been warning some "extremist" groups might try to capitalize on the mass protest, with the New Autonomous Political party leader going every bit far as saying that some "elements" were "attempting to plow the convoy into a Canadian version of the terrorist attacks on the US Capitol."

4. How long will the truckers' protest last?

According to a running clock on the grouping'south official webpage, the "Countdown to Freedom" ends in less than a day, as of the time of writing. The most recent updates about their itinerary for Sunday bear witness a prayer service for 11am (Eastern Standard Fourth dimension) and a press conference at 1pm, where additional details may exist announced. The protesters had planned to encamp in Ottawa for at least the weekend, but police sources have suggested that the rally could potentially continue into the adjacent week.

v. Has the 'Liberty Convoy' protestation in Ottawa been peaceful?

The city's police has reportedly been augmented by officers from other parts of the province as well as members of the national security and intelligence community to end potential unrest. Ottawa Law Chief Peter Sloly had described the state of affairs on Friday as "unique, fluid, risky, and pregnant" and warned of threats from "lone wolf" actors who may have infiltrated the crowds. He besides warned of "social media actors" who are "inciting hate, violence, and in some cases, criminality to take place."

Withal, no violence, arrests or injuries have been reported by authorities so far and the convoy organizers have said the "movement is a peaceful protestation" and does "not condone whatsoever acts of violence." In a statement on Friday, the Freedom Convoy organizers had urged participants to "care for all police officers with respect" and "non make any type of threat."

6. Where is Justin Trudeau in all of this?

Prime Government minister Trudeau and his family unit were apparently shifted to an "undisclosed location" in Ottawa on Sabbatum due to security concerns. Several trucks in the convoy displayed slogans and signs such as "F**k Trudeau," with protesters manifestly using as a rallying cry his earlier dismissal of the movement as the voices of a "fringe minority" that harbored "unacceptable views." Some have reportedly chosen for Trudeau to exist charged with treason or beaten up. In 1 of his last interviews prior to being moved, Trudeau expressed concern on Friday almost the potential for violence – claiming the movement has "morphed into something a lot larger" but was all the same "a very small, very angry group... who are actually trying to lash out."

7. What are people exterior Canada maxim most the truckers' protest?

The unusual scale and scope of the protestation has captured public attention outside the state. Sometime US President Donald Trump praised the convoy participants at a rally in Texas on Saturday, noting that they were "doing more to defend American freedom than our own leaders by far." Other prominent individuals that take spoken in support include Tesla CEO Elon Musk, podcaster Joe Rogan and comedian Russell Make. Reactions from some liberal pundits and United states of america media has been mostly negative, with some opinions linking the protesting truckers to far-right groups, white supremacist ideologies and Covid misinformation. The Washington Post has published an opinion piece calling on Canada to "face up the toxic 'Liberty Convoy' head-on," in which columnist David Moscrop described the truckers as "a fringe group" and claimed they were "driven by a generalized rage, misplaced anger nearly supply-chain challenges and antigovernment sentiment."

stjohnwareatur1992.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.rt.com/news/547796-freedom-trucker-protest-trudeau/

Share this post