Recently, anti-vaccine protest demonstrations triggered by the Canadian government's demand that cross-border truck drivers in the United States and Canada be compulsorily vaccinated against COVID-19 have intensified. As of February 8, local time, tensions in Major Cities in Canada and the U.S.-Canada border area continued to escalate, and some Canadian residents told Nandu reporters that the anti-vaccine protests seriously interfered with the normal lives of residents, and people were worried that the continuation of the protests would make life impossible to be peaceful for a long time.
Nandu reporter noted that the Ottawa police said that the well-organized protest was backed by American personnel and funds. Bruce, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada, said in a personal social media post that no group in the United States should fund violence in Canada. "This is not a legitimate political protest, and we should not encourage radicals in the United States to protest violently at home and abroad."
Growing
Due to the spread of the epidemic in the United States, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau issued a regulation in January requiring truck drivers crossing the U.S.-Canada border to be compulsorily vaccinated. The rule immediately drew protests from anti-vaccine activists in both countries. In February, the protests intensified and turned into an overall attack by anti-vaccine activists on the Canadian government's epidemic prevention measures. Protesters argue that the Canadian government's vaccine and vaccination regulations are a violation of "freedom." "We're tired of living in 'prisons, and they're going to get poison into our veins." Some protesters said.
On February 5, local time, about 5,000 protesters poured into Ottawa. Some protesters drove trucks to block the roads, while others rode horses and carried Canadian flags through the streets. The protesters claimed to demand the "dissolution of the Canadian government" and confronted Canadian police. On February 6, local time, the mayor of Ottawa, Canada, Jim Watson, declared a state of emergency in the city. As of February 8, traffic social order in Ottawa had not yet been restored. Police said about 500 trucks are currently involved in the traffic blockade and are gradually cleaning up the vehicles.
The U.S.-Canada border area was also temporarily disrupted. Nandu reporters learned from the police in Windsor, Ontario, that due to protests, the bridge connecting the city to Detroit in the United States was temporarily disrupted. Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendisino has previously said the bridge between Windsor and Detroit carries 25 percent of the traffic of U.S.-Canada trade, and the suspension of the bridge will seriously hamper Canada's economy. As of the 8th, the bridge partially resumed the passage of freight vehicles.
Social rift
Nandu previously reported that in addition to the traffic disruption caused by the protests in Ottawa City for several days, the noise generated also made some citizens unbearable. Recently, some citizens, through their lawyers' representatives, warned the protesters that the high-decibel horns used by the protesters would cause permanent damage to the hearing of the citizens and make residents mentally nervous for a long time, and if the protesters did not evacuate on February 7, local time, they would face a class action lawsuit for 9.8 million Canadian dollars (about 50 million yuan). A week later, the protesters have still not evacuated.
The protests have also given some criminals the opportunity to "fish in muddy waters." Ottawa police said they had arrested multiple offenders on more than 60 criminal charges including theft, destruction of property and disturbance of social order.
Nutano, a resident of ontario, Canada, told Nandu reporters that at first the truck drivers' demands were sympathetic to some Canadians, but as the protest movement continued, the attitude of residents also changed. "Some demonstrators are provoking residents who not only don't wear masks but also mock those who wear masks. Many shops have been forced to close, and residents are harassed by noise. ”
Some protests against anti-vaccines have also begun to emerge. On February 7, local time, Ottawa ride-hailing driver Nazim Khan organized a counter-protest in a neighborhood not far from the anti-vaccine protesters. Nazim Khan said the actions of the anti-vaccine protesters had gone beyond the modest range, negatively impacting local businesses and public services. "It's not the right way to protest, you have the freedom to assemble, but it doesn't destroy the freedom of the whole downtown Ottawa."
David, a Ottawa resident who was also involved in the counter-protest movement, noted that the continuation of the protests had prevented his shop from reopening, and that he had been harassed during the counter-protest campaign, "they shouted at me, pushed me and tried to snatch my placards." David said he was frustrated by the response of the Canadian police, "many residents believe that the police response to the protesters is too weak." ”
On February 8, local time, Canadian lawmaker Joel Wrightbond criticized at a press conference that the current chaotic situation in Canada lies in the government's politicization of the new crown epidemic prevention and vaccine issues, "Our government's policy has moved from a positive and unified attitude to division and stigmatization." Wrightbond condemned the violence of some of the extremist protesters. But at the same time, Some Canadian lawmakers pointed out that Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's reference to anti-vaccine protesters as a "marginal minority" has further intensified the contradictions and incited political divisions in Canada.
Gina Vivi Tellier, a political science scholar at the University of Ottawa, said she feared the entire protests would develop into a political crisis and that the Canadian government would not help even now in dialogue with protesters. Frederick Boyle, a political analyst at the University of Alberta, criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's reaction to the protests as too strong and abrupt, trying to portray the entire demonstration as an ultra-right one. "Like he did in the campaign before, Trudeau's actions turned the vaccine issue into a political one, which is 'adding fuel to the fire.'" Boyle said.
The United States intervened
Ottawa police said the well-organized protest was backed by U.S. personnel and money. Video from the protest scene showed that in addition to the Canadian flag, the flags raised by the demonstrators were also mixed with slogans and slogans of former US President Trump. Some foreign media pointed out that this shows that Canadian anti-vaccine activists have a close relationship with conservatives in the United States.
Some U.S. politicians have been on social media shouting about anti-vaccine protests in Canada. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other politicians have publicly expressed their support, saying trump said the Canadian government's mandatory vaccination order is "crazy." Ken Paxton, attorney general of texas, declared on his personal social media that "patriotic Texans should donate to the valuable causes of Canadian truck drivers." ”
Canadian police said they had made hate crime charges against four demonstrators and had cooperated with the FBI to launch an investigation. Bruce, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada, said in a post on his personal social media on Feb. 5 that no group in the United States should fund violence in Canada. "This is not a legitimate political protest, and we should not encourage radicals in the United States to protest violently at home and abroad." This is a disservice to the United States and other countries. ”
Producer: Nandu Instant
Written by: Nandu reporter Zhou Fei