The ongoing truck driver's protest in the Canadian capital is "out of control," the Ottawa mayor said Sunday, announcing a state of emergency as the city center remained blocked by opponents of anti-COVID-19 measures. The movement has morphed into a wider protest against the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with some United States politicians also becoming involved.
The protesters, who first reached the capital on Jan. 29, have parked their big rigs on city streets and put up tents and temporary shacks – paralyzing the capital to the consternation of officials and the mounting frustration of many residents.
Mayor Jim Watson announced a state of emergency that "reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government," a statement from the city said.
Earlier in the day, Watson had described the situation as "completely out of control," adding that the protesters "have far more people than we have police officers."
"Clearly, we are outnumbered, and we are losing this battle," he told CFRA radio. "This has to be reversed; we have to get our city back," he urged.
Watson called the truckers "insensitive," as they have continued "blaring horns and sirens and fireworks, and turning it into a party."
The demonstrations began as protests by truckers angry with vaccine requirements when crossing the United States-Canadian border but have morphed into broader protests against COVID-19 health restrictions and the government of Trudeau.
Locals have complained of the ceaseless sound of air horns and of being harassed, insulted or blocked by the protesters. The truckers and their supporters have dug in, however, saying the protests will continue until the coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted.
The "freedom truck convoy" has attracted support from many U.S. Republicans including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a "far-left lunatic" who has "destroyed Canada with insane COVID-19 mandates."
"Canada U.S. relations used to be mainly about solving technical issues. Today Canada is unfortunately experiencing radical U.S. politicians involving themselves in Canadian domestic issues. Trump and his followers are a threat not just to the U.S. but to all democracies," Bruce Heyman, a former U.S. ambassador under President Barack Obama, tweeted.
Heyman said "under no circumstances should any group in the U.S. fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop."
After crowdfunding site GoFundMe said it would refund or redirect to charities the vast majority of the millions raised by demonstrators protesting in the Canadian capital, prominent U.S. Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis complained.
But GoFundMe had already changed its mind and said it would be issuing refunds to all. The site said it cut off funding for the organizers because it had determined the effort violated the site’s terms of service due to unlawful activity.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called it an occupation.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon tweeted: "Patriotic Texans donated to Canadian truckers’ worthy cause," and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on Fox News, "(The) government doesn’t have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates."
"For some senior American politicians, patriotism means renting a mob to put a G-7 capital under siege," tweeted Gerald Butts, a former senior adviser to Trudeau.
Police on Sunday announced new measures to stop people from helping the protesters keep up their sit-in.
"Anyone attempting to bring material supports (gas, etc.) to the demonstrators could be subject to arrest," the force tweeted, adding Sunday night that several arrests had been made.
Similar, if smaller, demonstrations hit the cities of Toronto, Quebec City and Winnipeg on Saturday. Police in Quebec City said some 30 big trucks were blocking a major artery and had been warned they would face fines if they did not move soon.
Later Sunday, police said on Twitter that all the trucks had left but protest organizers promised to return in two weeks, once the ongoing Quebec Winter Carnival was over.
In an emergency meeting Saturday with Ottawa officials, police chief Peter Sloly complained that he lacked the resources to end what he called a "siege" and asked for reinforcements.
Ottawa police are due to soon be reinforced by some 250 Royal Canadian Mounted Police – a federal force.
"This group is a threat to our democracy," city council member Diane Deans said of the protesters on Saturday. "What we're seeing is bigger than just a city of Ottawa problem, this is a nationwide insurrection. This is madness," she added.
The police said Sunday that they had issued some 450 tickets since Saturday morning, for a variety of mostly minor infractions including excessive noise and use of fireworks, though one truck that turned out to be stolen was seized.
They said "extremely disruptive" protesters had in some cases endangered public safety, causing "unacceptable distress" to local residents.
Police have opened 97 investigations into possible criminal offenses, the statement said. In addition, it said, the police are "actively working with Canadian, U.S. and international security agencies/authorities to investigate email-based threats to public officials."
Many Canadians have been outraged over the crude behavior of the demonstrators. Some protesters set fireworks off on the grounds of the National War Memorial late Friday. A number have carried signs and flags with swastikas last weekend and compared vaccine mandates to fascism.
Protesters have said they won’t leave until all mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are gone. They are also calling for the removal of Trudeau’s government, though it is responsible for few of the measures, most of which were put in place by provincial governments.