A tense standoff at a U.S.-Canadian border crossing crucial to both countries’ economies appeared to be dissolving peacefully Saturday as Canadian police moved in to disperse the nearly weeklong blockade and demonstrators began leaving without resistance.
A protester waves Canada and U.S. flags in the backup of a pickup truck as police in Windsor, Ontario, moved protesters away from the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, which has been blocked this week to Detroit, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022.
Thw demonstrations at the Ambassador Bridge, downtown Ottawa and elsewhere have targeted vaccine mandates and other coronavirus restrictions and vented fury toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has called the protesters a “fringe” of Canadian society. Daniel Koss was among those who stayed overnight. Shortly before police advanced, he said the protest had succeeded in bringing attention to demands to lift COVID-19 mandates and he was happy it remained peaceful.
The previous day, a judged ordered the an end to the blockade of mostly pickup trucks and cars, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency allowing for fines of 100,000 Canadian dollars and up to one year in jail for anyone illegally blocking roads, bridges, walkways and other critical infrastructure.
In the capital, Ottawa, Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency last week after thousands of protesters descended on the city. Their numbers have dwindled but hundreds of trucks remain parked in front of the Parliament Buildings, and demonstrators have set up portable toilets where Trudeau’s motorcade usually parks outside the prime minister’s office.
Pandemic restrictions have been far stricter in Canada than in the U.S., but Canadians have largely supported them. The vast majority of Canadians are vaccinated, and the COVID-19 death rate is one-third that of the United States.At least 500 vehicles in several convoys attempted to enter Paris at key arteries but were intercepted by police.
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