A8 The BulleTin • Sunday, FeBruary 13, 2022
U.S.-CANADA BORDER
Police arrive to remove protesters
BY ROB GILLIES
AND MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
associated Press
WINDSOR, Ontario — Canadian
police moved in Saturday to remove
protesters who have disrupted Cana-
da-US trade at a major bridge border
crossing, though several trucks re-
mained blocking traffic.
Many protesters began driving
away as police approached shortly af-
ter dawn.
They had spent the night at the
busiest crossing between the United
States and Canada despite new warn-
ings to end the blockade that has dis-
rupted the flow of goods between the
two countries and forced the auto in-
dustry on both sides to roll back pro-
duction.
With dozens of police around his
car, a man with “Trump 2024” and
“Mandate freedom” spray-painted on
his vehicle left without any resistance.
Other protesters began dismantling a
small tarp-covered encampment.
But three large trucks and about 20
protesters remained blocking traffic
early Saturday and they began singing
Canada’s national anthem.
The demonstrators are protesting
against Canada’s COVID-19 man-
dates and restrictions. There is also
an outpouring of fury toward Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau.
“The Windsor Police & its policing
partners have commenced enforce-
ment at and near the Ambassador
Bridge. We urge all demonstrators to
act lawfully & peacefully. Commuters
are still being asked to avoid the areas
affected by the demonstrations at this
time,” police tweeted.
“The illegal blockades are impact-
ing trade, supply chains & manufac-
turing. They’re hurting Canadian
families, workers & businesses. Glad
to see the Windsor Police & its po-
licing partners commenced enforce-
ment at and near the Ambassador
Bridge. These blockades must stop,”
Federal Innovation Minister Fran-
cois-Philippe Champagne tweeted.
A judge on Friday ordered protest-
ers at the Ambassador Bridge over
the U.S.-Canadian border to end the
blockade that has now entered a sixth
day.
On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug
Ford declared a state of emergency in
nathan denette/The Canadian Press
Truckers and supporters block the access leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against
COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions Friday in Windsor, Ontario.
the province that will allow his cab-
inet to impose $100,000 fines and
up to one year in jail as punishments
against people who continue to ille-
gally block roads, bridges, walkways
and other critical infrastructure.
Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz of
the Ontario Superior Court issued an
injunction giving protesters blocking
cross-border traffic until 7 p.m. Friday
to clear out. However, the deadline
came and went.
Windsor police immediately
warned that anyone blocking the
streets could be subject to arrest and
their vehicles could be seized.
The news was met earlier with defi-
ance by protesters.
At the Ambassador Bridge, an
unidentified person grabbed a mi-
crophone and addressed the crowd,
asking if they wanted to stay or leave
when the deadline rolled around. By
a show of applause, it was agreed they
would stay. “OK,” the man said. “Let’s
stand tall.” The protesters responded
by singing the Canadian national an-
them.
The Ambassador Bridge is the bus-
iest U.S.-Canadian border crossing,
carrying 25% of all trade between the
two countries. The standoff comes at
a time when the auto industry is al-
ready struggling to maintain produc-
tion in the face of pandemic-induced
shortages of computer chips and other
supply-chain disruptions.
While the Canadian protesters are
decrying vaccine mandates for truck-
ers and other COVID-19 restrictions,
many of the country’s infection mea-
sures, such as mask rules and vaccine
passports for getting into restaurants
and theaters are already falling away
as the omicron surge levels off.
Pandemic restrictions have been
far stricter in Canada than in the U.S.,
but Canadians have largely supported
them. The vast majority of Canadians
are vaccinated, and the COVID-19
death rate is one-third that of the
United States.