Police in Canadian capitol bracing for violence during truckers protest set for this weekend

By: Thomas I. Likness
Eagle News Service

(Eagle News) — There are fears a protest by Canadian truck drivers over the government’s vaccine mandate could turn violent when it begins this weekend.

And the Ottawa Police Service has turned to other police services and intelligence agencies for help.

The protest seems to have attracted a number of groups with extreme, far-right views, which has policed concerned.

“There are an increasing amount of other interested parties who are considering, if not actually articulating, coming to the nation’s capital and participating in a range of related demonstrations, and in some cases counter demonstrations,” said Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly.

Because of the rapidly changing situation, police aren’t sure how big this event will be our how long it will last — but it will go on for at least two days.

“The current information that we have at this time is that there is one main demonstration called the Freedom Rally which involves a number of trucks and private vehicles arriving in Ottawa from across Canada,” said acting deputy police chief Trish Ferguson. “The exact number of participants in the in demonstration is not currently known.”

Ferguson says police are preparing for a number of difference scenarios.

“We are planning for a range of potential risks including but not limited to counter demonstrations, blocking of intersections, interfering with critical infrastructures and unlawful and violent activity,” she said. “Residents and visitors can expect to see expect to see a large police and emergency services presence in the downtown core and on major highways and roads throughout this event.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed concern about the demonstration.

“What we are hearing from some people associated with this convoy is completely unacceptable,” Trudeau told a news conference earlier this week.
(Eagle News Service)