Canada: Ottawa Mayor Declares the State of Emergency Over ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests
New Delhi: Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency in the city over ongoing trucker protests. Frustration in the nation’s capital has been mounting since what some are calling an occupation of the downtown core began over a week ago, with trucks blocking streets and horns blaring throughout the night.
Ottawa police announced that anyone attempting to bring support such as gas to demonstrators could be arrested and said they would issue more than 450 tickets since Saturday morning. Various Canadian police departments give “positive tickets” to reward people for doing something good and Negative tickets for bad behavior.
“Overnight, demonstrators exhibited extremely disruptive and unlawful behavior, which presented risks to public safety and unacceptable distress for Ottawa residents. We continue to advise demonstrators not to enter Ottawa and to go home.” read a news release on the Ottawa Police website.
Police there have responded to over 650 calls, and almost a hundred criminal investigations have been opened. A local hate crime hotline has also received over 200 calls.
According to a media report, “More than 1500 Ontario Provincial Police officers, as well as officers from other municipal police services and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, are on the ground in Ottawa.”
Horns blared for hours. Despite frigid temperatures dropping below -8 C, one man danced in only a thong and a Canadian flag atop a truck with a flag that read “Treason Trudeau.”
(_Vinayak)
