OTTAWA | The demonstration of truckers opposed to the vaccine passport at the border scheduled for today has turned into a great collective outlet against health and anti-system measures.
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“F…Trudeau!” yells a man driving a pick-up. At a red light, his fist pressed on his horn, he waved a middle finger in the direction of Parliament, located at a street corner.
On the other side of the street, another drags a trailer on which is installed a huge sign ” No more lockdowns (More containment). On the sidewalk, pedestrians applaud while waving flags. All smiles, they hug the police. Alcohol already heats the spirits.
Photo Francis Pilon
Jill Hickie took two weeks to build the posters on her car here in Ottawa.
At the end of the day yesterday, there are already thousands. A first convoy of trucks from Kingston, Ontario, occupies Wellington Street opposite Parliament. Others, possibly even more numerous, are en route from the West, Quebec and the Maritimes.
shout their anger
The truckers brought in their wake merchants, restaurateurs, mothers and even Aboriginal people. These “anti-everything” came to shout their anger at Justin Trudeau.
“The phase of collective debility, that’s it. The sanitary pass is over. We don’t want any more,” says Sébastien Roy, brandishing a fleur-de-lis. He came from Magog, in Estrie, after being refused access to a business.
Photo Clara Loiseau
Dozens of vehicles last night in front of Parliament in Ottawa.
Nancy, she traveled from Toronto with a friend. She waves the flags of Canada and Mexico, her country of origin, and says she refuses to receive the vaccine to “save” her “DNA” and her “soul”.
Around them, the deafening horns resound without interruption. The volume and intensity increases hour by hour. Truckers rev their engines, others squeal their tires and shout at passers-by who dare to wear masks.
Beginning of the siege
The siege begins and those residents who can leave town. At the pharmacy, a few blocks from the Parliament, Elisabeth came to get her medicine before leaving. She says she made her decision after hearing the concerns of Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly.
Photo Agence QMI, Maxime Deland
Several police officers stood guard in front of the Parliament.
“The demonstration this weekend is going to be unique, fluid, risky and significant,” he said at a press conference, expressing concern about “polarization” and “lone wolves who could insert themselves”.
He pointed out that national and international actors are using the event to “incite hatred, violence and crime”.
“I don’t believe that the truckers are going to be violent,” replies Robert, who came from Peterborough to demonstrate “for several weeks if necessary. If there is violence, it will be instigated by the government itself, or else by groups that are not rational.
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