Ottawa [Canada], February 21 (ANI): Canadian Police have fenced off the area surrounding Parliament Hill on Wellington Street, where protesters had been entrenched for more than three weeks and are working to ensure protesters do not return. Police officers and City of Ottawa cleanup crews are the only ones who remain in front of the Parliament where thousands of demonstrators were rallying to protest the vaccine mandates, reported CBC News. “We are deeply committed to the community healing that we know now needs to take place,” interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.

He said that police will decide on how to maintain its presence in downtown core “to make sure that nobody returns to occupy our streets again.” However, several reports suggest that some members of the convoy have regrouped outside the city. The police are concerned with these reports and are alert so that no fresh protests may start in the city. As per the reports, more than 50 vehicles were seen this weekend at Herb’s Truck Stop in Vankleek Hill, Ontario, less than 100 kilometers from downtown Ottawa.

Furthermore, the police chief did not say when downtown roads would reopen to residents or whether vehicle traffic would be barred from Wellington Street indefinitely. Police continue to tell people to avoid the downtown core and warn residents who have vehicles parked between Metcalfe and Bay streets and Albert and Gloucester streets to move their vehicles or risk being towed. Only parliamentary staffers are currently allowed north of Sparks Street, reported the Canadian public broadcaster.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 14 invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in 50 years to give the federal government extra powers to handle the ongoing truckers blockades and protests against the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The state of emergency will last for 30 days. At a news conference on Parliament Hill, Trudeau said, “It is now clear that there are serious challenges to law enforcement’s ability to effectively enforce the law.” Trudeau said the measures will be geographically targeted and “reasonable and proportionate to the threats they are meant to address.” The unprecedented deployment of the Emergencies Act gives police more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies constitute illegal and dangerous activities, such as blockades and occupations, he said.

The Emergencies Act, which replaced the War Measures Act in the 1980s, defines a national emergency as a temporary “urgent and critical situation” that “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.” The wave of protests across Canada began in January, with thousands of truckers and hundreds of other demonstrators converging on Ottawa to express strong opposition to vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the US-Canada border. Protesters demanded that the authorities remove COVID-19 restrictions.

Ottawa Police say arrested 70 individuals, towed 21 vehicles

Toronto [Canada], February 19 (ANI/Sputnik): The Ottawa Police have arrested 70 individuals and towed 21 vehicles as authorities crack down on trucker protests across the country empowered by the Trudeau government’s use of the Emergencies Act, the department said via Twitter.

“DEMONSTRATORS: You must leave. You must cease further unlawful activity and immediately remove your vehicle and/or property from all unlawful protest sites. Anyone within the unlawful protest site may be arrested,” the Ottawa Police also said on Friday via Twitter.

The ongoing protests, which initially began in opposition to vaccine mandates for truckers, have evolved into broader demonstrations against the Trudeau government and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The protests pose an ongoing threat to the country’s economy and security, Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti said on Friday. (ANI/Sputnik)

Two more Canadian soldiers under investigation for support of Trucker protests: Spokesman

Ottawa [Canada], February 17 (ANI/Sputnik): The Canadian military police have started investigating two more soldiers allegedly involved in supporting trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions, the National Post reported on Thursday, citing Canadian Defense spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier.

Le Bouthillier provided no further details on the investigations, according to the paper but stressed that military personnel have to observe the rules and the code of conduct of the Canadian forces. “Those who disregard these principles not only demonstrate an extreme lack of understanding of the military profession, they undermine the very foundation of the Canadian Armed Forces. Any member of the armed forces who brings discredit to the CAF through either conduct or performance deficiencies, be it through actions or words, will be held accountable,” Le Bouthillier said, as quoted by the newspaper.

According to the National Post, in total, nine members of the country’s military are suspected of participating in the anti-government demonstrations or supporting them on social media. Except for the two new cases, all investigations are reportedly being carried out at the unit level. The accused soldiers face disciplinary action up to expulsion from the Canadian military.

Several individuals under investigation are already leaving the country’s forces due to their unwillingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the newspaper said. The wave of protests across Canada began in January, with thousands of truckers and hundreds of other demonstrators converging on Ottawa to express strong opposition to vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the US-Canada border. Protesters demanded that the authorities remove COVID-19 restrictions.

The protest has since evolved into an anti-government demonstration, with various groups uniting in opposition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and calling for the overthrow of the government. The prime minister and his family were moved to a different location from their home in the capital city amid the trucker protest, according to Canadian media reports. (ANI/Sputnik)