Anti-vaccine mandate protests sweep Canada
Canadian cities faced disruptions on Saturday as protests against vaccine mandates spread from the capital of Ottawa... to Quebec City...to Toronto.
The so-called "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a protest against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
Demonstrators have shut down downtown Ottawa for the past eight days... with some participants waving Confederate or Nazi flags and some saying they wanted to dissolve Canada's government.
While there are many peaceful protesters… Some residents have complained of near-incessant honking, smashed windows, and being harassed for wearing masks.
Counter protesters in Ottawa came out to express their annoyance, Saturday, with signs reading: 'Go home please' and 'Occupiers go home.'
Ottawa police on Friday warned of a crackdown on what they called an "increasingly dangerous" protest and dedicated 150 officers to "patrolling and addressing unlawful and threatening conduct in the most-impacted neighborhoods."
On Saturday, the trucks were out in force in Quebec City.
One trucker said he wants to go back to the way life used to be: “We want our province back, our country back. We will protest until we get there."
In Toronto, vaccine mandate protesters and counter-protesters - including healthcare workers - held dueling rallies.
Canadian police say the well-organized blockade has relied partly on funding from sympathizers in the U.S..
Former U.S. president Donald Trump has spoken out in support of the truckers.
On Saturday, some U.S. Republicans, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, vowed to investigate GoFundMe's decision to take down a page accepting donations in support of the truck-drivers – saying it violated its terms of service.
On Friday, GoFundMe said donors would have two weeks to request a refund, with any remaining money distributed to (quote) "credible and established charities."
A day later, the crowdfunding platform said it would refund all donations.
