After almost three weeks of blocking by demonstrators opposed to sanitary measures, the Canadian police deployed on Thursday, February 17, in the streets of Ottawa. For the first time since the start of the movement, groups of police have positioned themselves against the protesters and the hundreds of trucks blocking the streets, noted a journalist from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
For the moment, the security forces have not intervened to dislodge the demonstrators but, at the end of the evening, the police said however that the intervention was “imminent”. On Thursday, trumpets and “freedom” slogans still sounded in the streets, where demonstrators marched with the Canadian flag on their backs or hanging from a hockey stick. Grilles and barricades were also erected by law enforcement to protect the buildings where Canadian power is concentrated.
A few meters away, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, felt that this challenge no longer had anything “peaceful”during a historic debate in the House of Commons on the implementation of the Emergencies Act, an exceptional provision he invoked on Monday, for the second time in Canadian history in peacetime. “The aim of all measures, including the financial measures provided for in the Emergency Measures Act, is to deal with the current threat and bring the situation under full control”added Mr. Trudeau.
Dispute undermines ‘Canada’s reputation’
In a letter addressed to the premiers of the provinces on Wednesday evening, he had estimated that the movement “threatened democracy” and mined “Canada’s reputation abroad”. From “individual and business bank accounts” linked to the blockage have been frozen, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a press conference. Calling the situation a “precarious”the Minister of Public Security, Marco Mendicino, estimated that “illegal border blockades” had cost the Canadian economy billions of dollars.
The protesters, determined to stay ” until the end “had received, on Wednesday, an ultimatum from the police, who went around the trucks to distribute a leaflet ordering them to ” leave the premises “. “They try to scare people to prevent them from coming this weekend”commented to AFP a trucker, reacting to the installation of these barricades around the parliamentary precinct.
On Wednesday evening, Ottawa’s new police chief, Steve Bell, said he had a “methodical plan” to end the protest. “Some of the techniques that we are allowed to use and are prepared to use are not commonly seen in Ottawa”he warned.
Children, even babies, in the mobilization
A mix of rain and snow expected on Wednesday and in the coming days could complicate operations for police, who face a complex and perilous situation to dislodge protesters smoothly. She particularly fears the presence of“radical elements” but also many children in the demonstration, including babies.
One of the organizers of the “freedom convoy”, Tamara Lich, said she expected to be arrested. “I think it’s inevitable now…”she said in a video posted on social networks.
The city of Ottawa, the province of Ontario and all of Canada are under a state of emergency due to this unprecedented protest movement, party of opposition truckers to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 to cross the border between Canada and the United States. Initially minimized by the authorities, the movement has spread, in recent weeks, to all health measures and, for many demonstrators, to a rejection of the government of Justin Trudeau.