Ottawa declares ‘state of emergency’ amid continuing blockades and raucous protests over covid measures

Ottawa announced a “state of emergency” Sunday after hundreds and sometimes thousands of protesters, many in big-rig trucks, disrupted the capital city for the second weekend in a row. “Declaring a state of emergency 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,” said the late-afternoon announcement from the city’s mayor, Jim Watson. It said that declaring the state of emergency would provide the city with greater “flexibility.” Earlier in the day, Watson pleaded for help, saying authorities were “outnumbered” and are “losing this battle” against the raucous demonstrators. The city’s police department also warned Sunday that anyone attempting to bring “material” support to the trucks, including gasoline, would be subject to arrest. Throughout the protests, people had been seen lugging cans of gas to keep the blockade trucks’ engines running.

Protests over coronavirus public health measures Saturday and Sunday included the large-scale road blockades, shooting off fireworks, driving on sidewalks, high-decibel nonstop horn-honking by truckers and what the Ottawa police department called other forms of “extremely disruptive and unlawful behaviour.” “We continue to advise demonstrators not to enter Ottawa, and to go home,” the department said in a statement. Demonstrations in solidarity with the self-described “Freedom Convoy” also broke out during the weekend in other cities across Canada, including Toronto, Quebec City and Vancouver. Authorities in Vancouver reported late Saturday that rocks and eggs were being thrown, cars kicked, “and nails being strewn on roadways” as several hundred vehicles rode through the city en route to the downtown core. Five arrests were made. While the crowds are expected to thin during the coming week, Toronto was taking no chances. Police in Canada’s most populous city announced Sunday that they would continue road closures in the downtown core into the week “to keep access routes clear, protect our healthcare workers, patients, and their families, and maintain public safety.”