Hundreds of trucks converge to Ottawa, the capital, to demonstrate against the vaccinal pass required as well as Canadian and anicity.
Le Monde with AFP
Hundreds of Canadian road drivers, who received the support of Elon Musk, converged on Friday, January 28, to Ottawa, the Canadian capital, to participate in a demonstration against mandatory vaccination to cross the Canada-US border.
Party among others from British Columbia (Pacific Coast) to Rallier Ottawa (East), the “Convoy of Freedom”, as baptized by the Roads, has continued to take from the magnitude in recent days. The meeting point is now the Hill of Parliament, in the heart of the Federal Capital.
“We do not want to be forced to be vaccinated, it should be a personal choice,” said France-Press (AFP), a protest, Louise, who came to support the road drivers during a Stop in the Vaudreuil area, on the road to Ottawa.
Under the cheers of the crowd and the klaxon shots, the retired white-haired said fear “a total loss” of his freedom. She participates in the mobilization to “thank the truckers” and “send a message to the Trudeau government”.
“that people are vaccinated or not, that’s not the problem. The problem is the obligation,” said AFP Tabitha, 26, holding in his hands A Canadian flag. According to her, Canada needs to find its “common and basic ideal points”.
The support of ELON MUSK
Since mid-January, Canada and the United States have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 road drivers crossing the border between the United States and Canada, the longest in the world with near 9,000 km. A measure denounced by part of the road, supported from Thursday by the American billionaire ELON MUSK, who tweeted Thursday: “Canadian truckers ensure.”
“It’s a national manifestation. It will be important in size and polarizing by nature,” said press conference Friday Peter Sloly, Ottawa police chief, evoking a “complex and who quickly evolve” situation ” . The latter was unable to quantify the number of trucks or participants, but expects “major problems” on the roads around the capital and asks the population to avoid travel.
In most importantly, the police fear overflows and violence, even though the organizers of the movement have indicated that they intended to manifest “peacefully”. The Ottawa police warned that some people could join the movement to “incite hatred and violence”.
Some traders took the lead and closed for the weekend, according to the local media. Politicians in the Federal Capital Region could also be targeted, said the chief of police.
90% of road drivers already vaccinated
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, currently in isolation after being a contact case, defended the vaccine obligation on Wednesday for truckers, recalling that 90% of them are already vaccinated.
“The remarks of certain persons associated with this convoy are unacceptable”, also considered the Prime Minister, whereas the leader of the Conservative opposition, Erin O’Toole, said Thursday that he was going to meet Some of the truckers. On social networks, some members of the far-right circles have expressed threats, calling for the assault of the Capitol, with reference to the US Congress attack in January 2021.
The Canadian police fear that the mobilization of road drivers is prolonged beyond weekend. Believing that the “vast majority” of heavyweight drivers is vaccinated in Canada, the Canadian Trucking Alliance, a large association of the sector, a “strongly disapproved” this event.