Canada rally against vaccine mandates blocks Ottawa as Trump praises protest
In solidarity with the Ottawa rally, truckers and protesters have blocked a Canada-US border crossing in southern Alberta, police said on Twitter
Dozens of trucks and other vehicles blocked the downtown area of Ottawa for a second day after thousands descended on Canada's capital city on Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
Trucks remained parked on the streets near parliament on Sunday, a day before lawmakers are due to resume work after the holiday break. Hundreds of protesters were out on Sunday, too. Some truckers said they will not leave until the mandate is overturned.
Former US President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Texas on Saturday, praised the Canadian protesters for "resisting bravely these lawless mandates", in a sign the politicization of the pandemic seen mostly south of the border has spread north.
In solidarity with the Ottawa rally, truckers and protesters have blocked a Canada-US border crossing in southern Alberta, police said on Twitter.
In Ottawa, thousands gathered peacefully on Saturday and there were no arrests, though several incidents are now being investigated by police.
"Several criminal investigations are underway," Ottawa police said on Twitter, including for the "desecration of the National War Memorial" and "threatening/illegal/intimidating behaviour to police/city workers and other individuals".