Thousands in Ottawa protest Covid-19 mandates, Trudeau moved undisclosed location amid violence

Thousands of protesters gathered in Canada’s capital on Saturday to protest vaccine mandates, masks and lockdowns.
Some parked on the grounds of the National War Memorial and danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, others carried indicators and flags with swastikas and a few used the statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox to show an anti-vaccine assertion, sparking widespread condemnation.
“I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this. Those involved should hang their heads in shame,” tweeted Gen. Wayne Eyre, Canada’s Defense Staff chief.
Protestors in contrast vaccine mandates to fascism, one truck carried a Confederate flag and lots of carried expletive-laden indicators focusing on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Protestors mingle round automobiles parked on Wellington St. in entrance of West Block and the Parliament buildings as they take part in a cross-country truck convoy protesting measures taken by authorities to curb the unfold of COVID-19 and vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press through AP)
The statue of Fox, a nationwide hero who misplaced a leg to bone most cancers as a teenager, then set off in 1980 on a fundraising trek throughout Canada, was draped with a the wrong way up Canadian flag with an indication that stated “mandate freedom.”Trudeau retweeted an announcement from The Terry Fox Foundation that stated “Terry believed in science and gave his life to help others.”
Eric Simmons, from Oshawa, Ontario, stated all vaccine mandates needs to be ended.
“They’re not effective, they’re not working. It’s not changing anything. We can’t keep living like this. People are losing their jobs because they don’t want to get the vaccine,” Simmons stated.
The convoy of truckers and others prompted police to organize for the opportunity of violence and warn residents to keep away from downtown. A prime Parliament safety official suggested lawmakers to lock their doorways amid studies their non-public houses could also be focused.

I’m sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, together with free speech, however not this. Those concerned ought to cling their heads in disgrace.
— General / Général Wayne Eyre (@CDS_Canada_CEMD) January 29, 2022
Trudeau has stated Canadians usually are not represented by this “very troubling, small however very vocal minority of Canadians who’re lashing out at science, at authorities, at society, at mandates and public well being recommendation.″
The prime minister’s itinerary for the day normally says he’s in Ottawa if he’s at residence, however on Saturday it stated “National Capital Region” amid a report he’s been moved to an undisclosed location. One of Trudeau’s youngsters has COVID-19 and the prime minister has been isolating and dealing remotely.
Canada has one of many highest vaccination charges on the planet and the premier of the province of Quebec who’s proposing to tax the unvaccinated is fashionable.
Some are, partly, protesting a brand new rule that took impact Jan. 15 requiring truckers getting into Canada be absolutely immunized towards the coronavirus. The United States has imposed the identical requirement on truckers getting into that nation.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance stated a large number of the protesters haven’t any connection to the trucking trade, including they’ve a separate agenda to push. The alliance notes the overwhelming majority of drivers are vaccinated.
The organizers of the protest have referred to as for the forceful elimination of all COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates and a few referred to as for the elimination of Trudeau.
The Shepherds of Good Hope, which has a soup kitchen for the homeless in Ottawa, reported employees and volunteers “experienced harassment from convoy protestors seeking meals from our soup kitchen. The individuals were given means to defuse the conflict.”
Some opposition Canadian Conservative lawmakers served espresso to the protesters. Conservative social gathering chief Erin O’Toole met with some truckers. The protest has additionally attracted assist from former U.S. President Donald Trump and a few Fox News personalities.

“We want those great Canadian truckers to know that we are with them all the way,” Trump stated at a rally in Conroe, Texas. “They are doing more to defend American freedom than our leaders by far.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman stated the risk towards democracy isn’t solely occurring in America.
“Both the use of the swastika and the confederate flag are symbols of hate. So very sad to see these symbols anywhere and especially in Canada,” stated Heyman, who was the U.S. envoy below former President Barack Obama.
The Parliamentary Protective Service expects as many as 10,000 protesters as a part of a weekend-long rally.
“I’m locked into my own country right now,” stated Tom Pappin, an unvaccinated man who got here from simply outdoors Ottawa. “I can’t go on a holiday. I can’t go to a restaurant, I can’t go bowling. I can’t go to a movie. You know, these are things that it’s just gotten out of control.”
The 52-year-old stated attendees are more likely to keep parked by Parliament till vaccine mandates are lifted.