A convoy of Canadian truckers stretching as far as the eye can see reached Ottawa, Canada’s capital, to protest cross-border vaccine mandates implemented this month.
Thousands of Canadians on foot and in trucks reached Parliament Hill in Ottawa, demanding the government halt its Covid-19 vaccine mandates, requiring truckers coming from the United States to show proof of vaccination.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance reports the mandate will take 10 to 20 percent of truck drivers off roads, which would worsen supply chain complications.
“The truth is that even a modest erosion of the current truck driver pool — which is [already] short nearly 20,000 drivers — would severely impact various sectors across Canada,” the Canadian Trucking Alliance warned.
The trucker convoy has reportedly broken the world record for longest stretch of trucks 10 times over, according to estimates.
Photos posted on social media showed trucks parked in front of Parliament Hill one day before the Saturday protest.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly announced law enforcement is working with national security agencies to identify threats to public safety during the demonstration.
However, Freedom Convoy 2022 spokesperson B.J. Dichter warned attendees to refrain from all violent behavior and “remain peaceful no matter the cost.” The attendees were told not to enter any governmental building “under any circumstances.”
“We cannot achieve our goals if there are threats or acts of violence. This movement is a peaceful protest, and we do not condone any acts of violence, etc.,” Dichter said Friday. “We already know there will be activists working at the behest of global authoritarians and think tanks to sabotage our movement. Because of this, we must have a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive behaviour and violence.”
Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims that the convoy represents a “small fringe minority,” massive crowds gathered in front of Parliament Hill to showcase their opposition to vaccine mandates and government overreach.