How truckers protest in Canada. Photo report

Rallies have been going on in the capital of CANADA for a week now. The Freedom Escort movement began as a protest by Canadian truckers against mandatory vaccinations and has grown into protests against covid restrictions and the Canadian government. How the actions are held in Ottawa and other cities - in the RBC photo report

Photo: Blair Gable / REUTERS

Pictured: Protesters in Ottawa on February 5

The Freedom Escort movement was a response to the January 15 resolution. According to him, all truckers who return from the US must be vaccinated. In protest, a convoy of trucks left the province of British Columbia towards the capital. The drivers drove across the country, and the traffic became more and more numerous along the way. On January 29, a rally began in Ottawa, which continues to this day.

Photo: John Woods / The Canadian Press / ZUMA / TASS

In the photo: a demonstration in Winnipeg on February 4

The protesters in the capital were supported by actions in Quebec, Vancouver, Winnipeg and other major cities of the country

Photo: Lars Hagberg / Reuters

In the photo: a protester at a rally in Ottawa on February 6

The movement "Convoy of Freedom" found support from a part of society. According to a survey of 1,410 respondents, 32% said they shared the views of the protesters.

Photo: Lars Hagberg / Reuters

Pictured: Protesters in Ottawa on February 5

The protests that began on January 29 continue in downtown Ottawa near Parliament Hill. The set of protesters' demands has expanded, they advocate the lifting of COVID restrictions across the country and the resignation of Justin Trudeau's government.

Photo: John Woods / The Canadian Press / ZUMA / TASS

Pictured: Demonstrators in Winnipeg on February 4

On the popular crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, a collection was opened to support the campaign, as of February 3, the amount of donations was $7.9 million.
 

Photo: Blair Gable / Reuters

Pictured: Protest in Ottawa on February 5

However, the platform management first suspended the collection, and then announced its termination. The statement said the funds would be returned and the remainder donated to charities. “The peace campaign has turned into an occupation, there are reports of violence and other illegal actions about the police,” the platform explained its decision.

Fundraising continued on the new platform GiveSendGo and has already exceeded $1 million, the Toronto Star reported.

Photo: Lars Hagberg / Reuters

In the photo: a protester with the figure of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

After the protests began, Justin Trudeau and his family left the residence in Ottawa for security reasons. The prime minister spoke sharply against the protests, calling them "an insult to memory and truth." “Freedom of speech and assembly are the cornerstones of democracy, but Nazi symbols, racism and the desecration of military monuments are not,” he said. Police were reported to have launched an investigation into several incidents during the demonstrations, including footage of a woman dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial.

90% of truckers are vaccinated, Trudeau noted, and the decision should not affect them in any way.

Photo: Blair Gable / Reuters

Pictured: Protesters in Ottawa on February 5

Not all politicians are in solidarity with the prime minister. And about. Conservative Party leader Candice Bergen said the protesters represent millions of people who are "fed up with lockdowns and broken promises." “They deserve to be heard, they deserve respect,” she wrote on Twitter.

Elon Musk also spoke out in support of the movement. On February 27, before the rallies in the capital began, he tweeted: “Canadian truckers are cool.”

Photo: Blair Gable / Reuters

In the photo: a rally in Ottawa on February 5.

The Freedom Convoy protests resonated overseas, writes the Toronto Star: “Other countries are using the example of Canada to organize their own campaigns. Dozens of FACEBOOK and TELEGRAM groups inspired by Canadian truckers have sprung up around the world, from Cyprus to Argentina to New Zealand.”

Photo: Lars Hagberg / Reuters

Pictured: police officers in downtown Ottawa on February 6

In response to the demonstrations that have been going on for more than a week, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency on February 7th. According to him, the protests pose a threat to the safety of residents. The mayor said that the city is completely out of control, and there are more demonstrators than police. “We are outnumbered and we are losing this battle,” he admitted.

The Washington Post estimated that at least 5,000 people and about 1,000 trucks were on the streets of Ottawa on Saturday, February 5.

Photo: Blair Gable / Reuters

The protests are taking place against the backdrop of another wave of CORONAVIRUS caused by the Omicron strain. Since mid-December, the country, according to WHO, has seen an increase in the number of infections. In November, the number of daily cases was less than three thousand, at the peak on January 12 it exceeded 56 thousand and began to decline, amounting to just over 15 thousand on February 4

As of 18:00 Moscow time on February 7, the protests continue, the police reported the arrest of seven people for hooliganism and traffic violations.