Canada’s ‘Freedom convoy’ ends with a groan at the US-Canada border

The lawless “Freedom Convoy” determined to end Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions by blocking traffic along the Canada-US border ended Saturday as Canadian police managed to clear a peacefully way most roadblocks without much fuss.

Protesters along the Ambassador Bridge — many wearing Canadian flags and holding placards that read “Fuck Trudeau” — spent nearly a week protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions and disrupting economic flows. between neighboring countries.

Cole Burston / Getty

The Ambassador Bridge, connecting Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, is the busiest US-Canada border route and carries 25% of trade between the two countries.

The final day of what turned from a convoy to a career began with a police barricade along the entrance of the bridge and officers threatening those who refused to leave with arrest. The threats were met with the honking of car horns, car trunks and the screams of protesters, some of whom actually compared the peaceful scene to the deadly Tiananmen Square Massacre in China. Nation in 1989.

When their anti-vaxxer protest was forced to end, they found time to play pop hits, with scores of “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars and “I Know I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith on their crusade.

Aside from giving orders to leave, officers remained mostly silent as protesters implored and insulted them. Windsor Police also issued an update on Twitter, warning that remaining cars could be towed.

Protester Daniel Koss told the Associated Press he’s glad the footage didn’t spiral out of control, which he believes will overshadow the issue of COVID restrictions.

“It’s a win-win,” said Koss. “Now that the pandemic is rolling down, they can eliminate the mandarin, all the mandarins, everyone is happy. The government does the right thing, and the protesters are all happy.”

Canada’s protests have largely been praised and encouraged by conservative US media outlets Fox News and NewsMax have praised the truckers and claimed authorities are trying to “censor” them . Naturally, truckers received an appeal from former President Donald Trump during his January 29 rally.

“Canadian truckers … are doing more to protect American freedom than our leaders,” Mr. Trump said. “We want Canada’s great truckers to know that we’re with them every step of the way.”

The protest ended on Friday’s order from a Canadian judge allowing the bridge to open to traffic. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also declared a state of emergency with fines of C$100,000 and a year in prison for those who continue to break the law.