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       'It's intimidating': Ottawa residents furious about Canada trucker protests

       A “complex” and “multi-day” operation has begun to clear “freedom convoy” truckers from streets south of Canada’s parliament building following an agreement between city authorities and protest organisers.

       MayorJim Watson confirmed on Monday night that “convoy leaders have started to act on their commitment to move several trucks from the residential district south of Wellington (Street)”, after more than two weeks of protests.

       It comes after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau declared a rare national public order emergency in a bid to end the trucker protest, which stretches into a third week.

       The Emergencies Act allows his administration to freeze truckers’ personal and corporate bank accounts, suspend the insurance on their rigs and also tow away vehicles. Mr Trudeau has however ruled out using the military to restore order amid concerns from Canada’s Civil Liberties Association.

       For over two weeks, thousands of protesters in trucks and other vehicles have clogged the streets of Ottawa and blocked various US-Canadian border crossings. The most important trade route — the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit — was reopened on Sunday.

       Recommended Canada trucker protests enter third week after crucial US border bridge reopens Biden says opposing mask mandates isn’t freedom as Trump says he’s ‘proud’ of Canada truckers ‘It has to stop’: Trudeau demands end to trucker protest saying ‘people waving swastikas’ don’t represent Canada

       Key Points Trudeau declares national emergency Police arrest 11 people with weapons cache at ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest Ottawa residents furious about trucker protests

       Show latest update 1644924646 Ambassador condemns ‘civil liberties suspended’ claims

       Canadian diplomat and ambassador to the United Nations Robert Keith Rae was among those defending prime minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act against anti-Covid mandate truckers.

       Tweeting about the development on Monday night, Mr Rae criticised a New York Times headline suggesting Canada’s government had suspended civil liberties.

       “Correction: An earlier tweet incorrectly suggested that Trudeau would temporarily suspend civil liberties,” the New York based outlet later wrote. “We deleted the incorrect tweet.”

       Mr Trudeau has promised to end funding streams for the protesters and to boost policing in Ottawa after nearly three weeks of occupation of streets around the Canadian parliament. He added that the emergency powers would be used geographically and are time limited.

       Gino Spocchia 15 February 2022 11:30

       1644922846 Emergencies Act criticised by Civil Liberties Association

       The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has criticised the Trudeau government for invoking the rarely used Emergencies Act on Monday, allowing Canada to end funding streams for the “freedom convoy” truckers and boost the police presence.

       On Monday, Mr Trudeau said “we cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue” and that “despite their best efforts, it is now clear that there are serious challenges to law enforcement’s ability to effectively enforce the law,” in and around Canada’s parliament.

       The civil liberties association argued that Canadian “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” had not been threatened by “freedom convoy” protesters, who have blockaded the streets around the country’s parliament into a third week.

       A blockade of a major border crossing meanwhile caused delays to trade between Canada and the US for a week, causing losses to businesses and disruption to communities in Canada and the US.

       Gino Spocchia 15 February 2022 11:00

       1644921230 Truckers agree to leave residential areas, mayor says

       Ottawa mayor Jim Watson says truckers will begin relocating from residential areas south of Wellington Street and the parliamentary precinct, more than two weeks after Canadian truckers blocked streets around Canada’s parliament.

       Mayor Watson said “the convoy leaders have started to act on their commitment to move several trucks from the residential district south of Wellington,” and the operation would take a number of “days”.

       It comes after reports on Sunday that mayor Watson had reached an agreement with protesters to relocate away from residential areas, which was initially rebuked by leaders of the so called “freedom convoy”.

       Ottawa’s downtown is located south of the Wellington thoroughfare, and is home to both local businesses and residents.

       The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has meanwhile granted the City of Ottawa's request “for an injunction with respect to the protest”, the mayor said. That will likely lead to further arrests.

       Gino Spocchia 15 February 2022 10:33

       1644917438 ICYMI | Truckers are having ‘significant direct impacts on citizens’ lives, says Psaki

       White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the convoy of Canadian truckers that have occupied parts of Ottawa pose a significant economic risk.

       Ms Psaki said president Joe Biden and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau spoke about the convoy of truckers that are protesting against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

       “The two leaders agreed that the actions of the individuals who are obstructing travel and commerce between our two countries are having significant impact on citizens’ lives and livelihoods,” she said.

       Eric Garcia has more.

       Psaki says truckers having ‘significant direct impacts on citizens’ lives’ ‘The president expressed his concern that United States companies and workers are experiencing serious effects including slowdowns in production, shortened work hours and plant closures’

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 09:30

       1644912938 Biden says opposing mask mandates isn’t freedom

       United States president Joe Biden dismissed the idea that refusing to take steps to inhibit the spread of Covid-19 was a matter of “personal freedom” in an interview airing Sunday with the Super Bowl.

       “If your exercising personal freedom puts someone else in jeopardy, their health in jeopardy, I don’t consider that being very, dealing with freedom,” Mr Biden told NBC’s Lester Holt.

       His comments come as former US President Donald Trump said he was “proud” to see that some of the truckers were holding Trump signs as they protested.

       “I see they have Trump signs all over the place and I’m proud that they do. But that’s what happens, you can push people so far and our country is a tinderbox too, don’t kid yourself. And there are plenty of our country up there right now,” Mr Trump told Fox and Friends on Saturday.

       John Bowden reports.

       Biden says opposing mandates isn’t freedom as Trump says he’s ‘proud’ of truckers Experts warned trucker protests could spread to US this weekend

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 08:15

       1644911377 Canada will consider peaceful protesters as 'terrorists', says Donald Trump Jr

       Former United States president Donald Trump’s son claimed that “peacefully protesting” truckers will be considered “terrorists” after the Canadian government invoked a national emergency to quell protests.

       Donald Trump Jr wrote on Twitter: “Just like mothers who didn’t want their children to be indoctrinated with CRT propaganda were called Terrorists now people who fund the peacefully protesting truckers in Canada will be considered terrorists”.

       “They’re literally changing their laws to make it so. Leftist Tyranny,” the Republican leader added.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 07:49

       1644909172 'Go home', says Canada's transport minister

       Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra on Monday said that “the message to the illegal blockaders is clear”.

       Asking the protesters to “go home”, the minister said on Twitter: “Breaking the law is hurting hard-working middle-class families.

       “This is not how we do things in Canada,” he added.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 07:12

       1644907865 Professor claims he’s organising US version of ‘Freedom Convoy’

       A doctor who was fired from a teaching position at UC Irvine for refusing to get vaccinated is reportedly trying to organise a US version of the “Freedom Convoy” coronavirus vaccine protest that will arrive in Washington DC in early March.

       Dr Aaron Kheriaty, a doctor of psychiatry, appeared on right-wing media figure Dan Bongino’s show and claimed he was organising a US version of the “trucker” convoy that has disrupted Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, for two weeks.

       Graig Graziosi has more.

       Professor fired for refusing jab says he’s organising US version of ‘Freedom Convoy’ Aaron Kheriaty believes that ‘millions’ of Americans will stand in solidarity with the proposed convoy

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 06:51

       1644906930 Trudeau declares national emergency

       Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau on Monday invoked rarely used emergency powers to quell the truckers protest.

       “The federal government has invoked the Emergencies Act to supplement provincial and territorial capacity to address the blockades and occupations,” the prime minister said at a news conference.

       “The blockades are harming our economy and endangering public safety. We cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue,” he added.

       The emergency powers came into immediate effect and will last for 30 days.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 06:35

       1644905875 Canadian police arrest 11 with weapons cache

       The Alberta police on Monday arrested 11 persons and recovered a weapons cache at the US-Canada border within a small group aligned with the self-styled “Freedom Convoy”.

       The authorities seized 13 long guns, handguns, multiple sets of body armour, a machete, a large quantity of ammunition, and high capacity magazines.

       The police, in a statement, said that they “recently became aware of a small organized group within the larger” protest blocking the border crossing in Coutts, which borders Montana in the northwestern US.

       Gustaf Kilander reports.

       Canadian police arrest 11 people with huge weapons cache at ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest Law enforcement seizes 13 long guns, handguns, multiple sets of body armour, a machete, a large quantity of ammunition, and high capacity magazines

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 15 February 2022 06:17

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