“Trying to lock down our economy”: how the situation with the protest against coronavirus restrictions is developing in Canada

Protests continue in Canada, which began on January 29 with truckers protesting against coronavirus restrictions.

According to the police, last weekend the number of participants in demonstrations in Ottawa reached 5 thousand people.

At the same time, about 1 thousand cars were involved.

The protests unfolded against the backdrop of the entry into force of requirements for truck drivers in terms of mandatory vaccination against coronavirus infection.

According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the protests have a negative impact on the country's economy.

“These individuals are trying to block our economy, our democracy and the daily lives of our citizens.

This must stop, ”RIA Novosti quotes Trudeau’s statement during a speech to members of the federal parliament.

According to him, the people of Ottawa do not deserve to be "persecuted in their own neighborhoods."

On February 7, Trudeau made his first public appearance since he announced on January 31 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The head of the Canadian government confirmed the Cabinet's commitment to settling the protests.

At the same time, he did not outline new measures in this regard, noting the readiness of the government to provide the city and the province with all the resources necessary in the current situation.

However, Trudeau previously called the protesters a marginal minority and did not express a desire to participate in negotiations with them.

Almost 90% of truck drivers are fully vaccinated, according to the Canadian government, and the protests should not have a significant impact on the operation of truck logistics in the country.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson called the situation in the capital the most serious state of emergency in the history of the city.

He also sent a letter to the government and the leaders of the Canadian provinces with a request to provide Ottawa with additional police forces in the amount of 1.8 thousand people.

Meanwhile, the media report that the entire Ottawa police force has about 2.1 thousand employees.

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Watson also asked the country's leadership to appoint a person who would negotiate with the protesters.

According to him, in this situation, the intervention of the federal authorities is required.

Road closures and restriction of protesters' activity

On Monday, the media also reported that traffic on the bridge connecting the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of Michigan was almost completely blocked from Canada.

According to the CBC television channel, the protesters blocked the passage with trucks, pickups and cars.

At some point, all three traffic lanes in the direction of the United States were blocked. 

Meanwhile, towing companies are not accepting contracts to transport large trucks that have occupied downtown Ottawa.

According to media reports, about 400 cars are illegally parked in the central part of the city, most of which are heavy trucks.

On the first weekend of protests, the number of trucks in the city reached 3,000, according to police.

However, since February 7, in the part of Ottawa where the protesters were located, the use of car horns was completely banned for 10 days.

The ruling court ruled that the ban on the use of signals would not deprive the protesters of the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, the Ottawa City Council announced plans to increase fines to CAD 1,000 for a variety of violations, including exceeding the permissible noise level, blocking roads, making fires and parking cars with the engine running under the current state of emergency.

The Council's proposal will have to be reviewed in other instances, after which it must be approved by the Prime Minister.

At the same time, according to CTV News, the protesters are adapting to various restrictive measures by local authorities.

In particular, earlier in Ottawa it was forbidden to carry fuel into the “red zone” of demonstrations.

According to representatives of the police of the Canadian capital, the protesters began defiantly to carry drinking water in metal canisters, while fuel, on the contrary, began to be poured into containers for drinking water.