Feb 8, 2022: According to a report by Reuters, as the protest against the Canadian government’s health measures and vaccine mandates entered an eleventh day on Monday, police have threatened to clamp down after facing criticism for lack of action that has crippled the national capital.

The “Freedom Convoy”, which included mostly truck drivers, began as a movement against the need for COVID-19 vaccine for cross-border drivers. But since then, it has emerged as a rallying point against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tough measures to fight the pandemic.

Canada’s capital city Ottawa awoke to its second week of what its political and policing leaders now describe as a siege as its chief of police claims the occupation has gone beyond anything he can adequately deal with.

Protesters marched through Ottawa on January 29, while several have pledged to stay in the city, home to about 1 million people, until all coronavirus restrictions are lifted in Canada. An MOM drafted by some convoy organisers calls on the Senate and Governor General to agree to lift all such curbs, including vaccine mandates, vaccine passports and coronavirus-related fines, or “RESIGN their lawful positions of authority Immediately”.

Convoy participants have honked their horns incessantly for several days, blocked residential streets, set off fireworks late at night, harassed local residents, and generally disrupted daily life in the downtown core of the capital.

Residents of Ottawa describe the ongoing protest as an “occupation” and Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency on Sunday.

Watson said in a statement, “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”.

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS), which at the start of the protest said its officers “have avoided ticketing and towing vehicle[s] so as not to instigate confrontations with demonstrators”, has faced widespread criticism for its response to the convoy.

The police said seven people had been arrested, 100 tickets were issued, and more than 60 criminal investigations have been launched. That night, police began removing gas and propane tanks at an encampment used by the protesters.

Late night honking and occasional fireworks have disrupted the normally quiet life of the residents in downtown Ottawa. An Ottawa court will hear an application for an injunction to end the loud honking downtown residents say has become incessant and unbearable.

A well-organized supply chain – including portable saunas, a community kitchen and bouncy castles for children – has helped protesters. Police say they have relied partly on funding from sympathizers in the United States.

Former US President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have praised truck drivers. The Canadian government has refused to back down on vaccine mandates. Trudeau, who is isolated after a positive test for COVID-19, has ruled out using force to quell the protests.

Canadians have largely followed government’s health measures and nearly 79% of the eligible population has taken double dose of the vaccine. But recent polls have shown frustrations against restrictions are growing.

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