Dozens of trucks and other vehicles have jammed up the center of Ottawa since late January. At the time, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country was “disgusted by the behavior of some people protesting against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Ottawa” and said he would not be intimidated. Thousands protested at Parliament Hill against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and masking requirements. A week later many were gone but others arrived.
While mostly peaceful, the protested did harass people by honking horns and by toileting in the streets. They also harangued a homeless shelter into giving them food. “We are not intimated by those who hurl abuse at small business workers and steal food from the homeless,” said Trudeau at a news conference.
What started as a protest against a vaccine requirement for cross-border then changed into a demonstration against Trudeau and COVID-19 policies in general. The truckers say they are “in it for the long haul.”