CANADIAN police have begun clearing protestors who blocked a bridge to the US, which has delayed international trade and halted traffic.
Windsor Police said in a Twitter post that people are advised to leave the area immediately, and “individuals who are located within the demonstration area are subject to arrest.”
This comes after President Joe Biden urged the Canadian government to end ongoing trucker protests along the border, as analysts warn the ‘Freedom Convoy’ could impact Super Bowl Sunday.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he spoke with President Biden on Friday about “illegal blockades at the border.”
“I updated him on the situation, and we discussed the American and global influence on the protests,” Trudeau tweeted.
“We agreed that, for the security of people and our economies, these blockades cannot continue.”
A DHS bulletin sent to local and state officials warned that truck drivers planning a convoy in the United States would “potentially begin in California as early as mid-February and arrive in Washington, DC, as late as mid-March, potentially impacting the Super Bowl LVI scheduled for 13 February and the State of the Union Address scheduled for 1 March.”
It comes as shock videos from near the Canadian border show trucks backed up for miles.
The footage was taken after the so-called “freedom convoy” halted on Monday, according to Click On Detroit.
Read our trucker protest live blog for the latest news and updates…
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Protesters were reportedly attacked in Canada
Shocking footage captured the moment a driver allegedly plowed into a crowd of Freedom Convoy protesters, injuring four before fleeing the scene.
The 42-year-old was arrested after allegedly driving at speed into demonstrators at the Manitoba Legislature grounds on Friday, February 4, according to Canadian authorities.
“A 42yr old male is facing charges after driving through a group of protesters that were part of the Freedom Convoy at the Legislative grounds,” the Winnipeg Police tweeted on Saturday. “4 adult males were struck.”
The suspect, driving a Jeep Patriot, was chased down by police and arrested after he tried to flee.
“(The vehicle) was moving at a pretty decent clip and it’s pretty miraculous that nobody sustained any serious injuries,” said police spokesperson Rob Carver on Saturday as reported by the Winnipeg Sun.
Three of the injured protesters did not need medical attention, and a fourth was released after being treated at the hospital.
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Gov Whitmer calls for end to blockade, continued
“Our communities and automotive, manufacturing, and agriculture businesses are feeling the effects. It’s hitting paychecks and production lines. That is unacceptable,” Gov Whitmer added in the lengthy statement.
“The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest land border crossing in North America, used by tens of thousands of commuters and truck drivers carrying hundreds of millions of dollars of goods every day.”
“Countless Michiganders rely on this daily flow of goods and people to get things done.”
“It is imperative that Canadian local, provincial, and national governments de-escalate this economic blockade. They must take all necessary and appropriate steps to immediately and safely reopen traffic so we can continue growing our economy, supporting good-paying jobs, and lowering costs for families.”
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Gov Whitmer calls for end to blockade
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called on Canadian authorities to shut down the blockade on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge in a statement released on Thursday.
“My message is simple: reopen traffic on the bridge,” she wrote in a statement shared to Twitter and reported by Fox10 Phoenix.
“In Michigan, our economy continues to grow because of our hardworking people and innovative small businesses. Now, that momentum is at risk.”
“Commercial traffic is at a standstill at the Ambassador Bridge and heavily backed up at the Blue Water Bridge,” she added. “The blockade is having a significant impact on Michigan’s working families who are just trying to do their jobs.”
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Trudeau’s tweets, conclusion
Trudeau also set forth a bipartisan call to take parliamentary action against the blockades.
“Finally, I briefed the leaders of the opposition parties on the current situation and the latest developments.
“I stressed how important it is for all Members of Parliament, from every party, to denounce these illegal acts – and to call for an end to these blockades,” the Prime Minister concluded.
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Trudeau’s tweets, part two
Trudeau also spoke to Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens about the occupation of the Ambassador Bridge.
“We’re committed to helping the Mayor and the province get the situation under control,” Trudeau said on Twitter.
“It is causing real harm to workers and economies on both sides of the border.”
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Justin Trudeau posts series of tweets
In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talked about the action he’s taking against “illegal blockades and occupations” happening across Canada.
“First, I convened an Incident Response Group meeting with ministers and officials,” Trudean wrote.
“We’ll continue to work closely with municipal and provincial governments to end these blockades, and to make sure they have the resources they need.”
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‘Ashamed to do my job’
One trucker expressed he is not happy that his job makes him associated with the protests.
“These protests are making me ashamed to do my job,” he tweeted.
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Police surround protestors in Windsor
There is a heavy police presence in Windsor, Canada.
There are reportedly snipers on the roof of a customs building, and protestors are being asked to leave their vehicles.
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‘Another wrench in the industry’
The protest has reportedly led to some shipping delays as trucks have to travel to other locations to cross the border.
A delay of even five hours, for instance, can cause production disruptions because factories are running low on part supplies with a supply chain that is already dealing with problems, the Associated Press noted, citing Jeff Schuster, president of the LMC Automotive consulting firm in Troy, Michigan.
“Everything is so ‘just-in-time’ these days,” he said.
“We’re still dealing with parts shortages in general and supply chain issues. This is just another wrench in the industry that we’re dealing with right now.”
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Protest could impact Super Bowl, continued
“The convoy will potentially begin in California as early as mid-February and arrive in Washington, DC, as late as mid-March, potentially impacting the Super Bowl LVI scheduled for 13 February and the State of the Union Address scheduled for 1 March,” the bulletin said.
The warning states that “the convoy could severely disrupt transportation, federal government, and law enforcement operations through gridlock and potential counterprotests,” Yahoo News reported.
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Protest could impact Super Bowl
Trucker protests across the country could impact the biggest day of the year for many Americans – Super Bowl Sunday, which is coming up this weekend.
A DHS bulletin sent to local and state officials warned of “truck drivers planning to potentially block roads in major metropolitan cities in the United States in protest of, among other things, vaccine mandates for truck drivers”, according to Yahoo News.
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GiveSendGo says Canada has ‘ZERO jurisdiction’
A statement posted on the GiveSendGo Twitter seems to refute reports that a court order will freeze funds sent to the “Freedom Convoy” by GiveSendGo.
“Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at GiveSendGo,” the post reads.
“All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns, not least of which is The Freedom Convoy campaign.”
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European ‘Freedom Convoy’ targets Brussels
According to an infographic circulating on Twitter, European truck drivers are planning a convoy in solidarity with Canadian drivers.
The convoy hopes to arrive in Brussels on February 14.
The protest’s stated goals include the “right to travel freely without interference,” the “right to choose your own health decisions” and the “right to conduct business freely.”
The infographic emphasizes that the protest is meant to be peaceful.
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Protests impact auto industry
The truck blockade by Canadian truckers protesting the country’s Covid-19 restrictions known as the “Freedom Convoy” is impacting the auto industry.
Ford, General Motors, and other car companies have had to shut down plants or scale back production on both sides of the border as a result of the demonstrations, the Associated Press reported.
Due to the trucks blocking a bridge between Canada and Michigan, auto parts and other related products between the two countries are not getting through.
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Canada freezes GiveSendGo funds
A court order has frozen all the Freedom Convoy’s funds from GiveSendGo, according to Toronto Sun reporter Brian Lilley.
“This is the section of the criminal code that the Ford government is using to freeze the funds,” Lilley said in a tweet, saying the freeze was “in accordance with a ruling today by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.”
He also pointed out that, as of now, the funds have been frozen, not seized.
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General Motors cancels shift due to parts shortage
General Motors announced Wednesday evening that the company would cancel the second shift at its Delta plant in Lansing.
Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that blockades can do serious damage to supply chains, a local Fox outlet reported.
“I’ve already heard from automakers and food grocers,” Alghabra said.
“This is really a serious cause for concern.”
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One convoy planning group refutes Super Bowl rally rumor
While American and Canadian officials have warned the “Freedom Convoy” may impact US commerce and life in the near future, a group of protest organizers tried to refute one rumor.
Justin Ling, an investigative journalist, shared a statement from one convoy planning group.
“It has come to our attention that there is a rumor stating that there will be a rally of some kind at, or around the upcoming Superbowl,” the statement reads.
“To our knowledge, there are NO plans to this affect (sic) and this is simply a rumor,” it continues.
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Demonstrations could ‘model’ Canadian protests
“They are definitely going to follow the Canadian model and shut down Washington,” said the DHS official, referring to the “Freedom Convoy” centered around Ottawa, Canada.
That protest has drawn hundreds of truckers and others to Ottawa since last week, according to Yahoo News.
The demonstration has disrupted traffic throughout the Canadian capital and caused the mayor there to declare a state of emergency, the outlet noted.
Protesters blocked off traffic in both directions along the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan on Monday and shut down one of the busiest international border crossings between Canada and the United States.
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Situation ‘could change quickly’
The DHS document notes that as of its release back on February 8, the US trucker convoy “appears to be purely aspirational because the event is only being discussed online.”
But it also warns that “this could change quickly.”
The document is marked unclassified and for official use only, according to Yahoo News.
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Protest could impact Super Bowl, continued
“The convoy will potentially begin in California as early as mid-February and arrive in Washington, DC, as late as mid-March, potentially impacting the Super Bowl LVI scheduled for 13 February and the State of the Union Address scheduled for 1 March,” the bulletin said.
The warning states that “the convoy could severely disrupt transportation, federal government, and law enforcement operations through gridlock and potential counterprotests,” Yahoo News reported.
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DHS bulletin warns of impact on US
Trucker protests across the country could impact the biggest day of the year for many Americans – Super Bowl Sunday, which is coming up this weekend.
A DHS bulletin sent to local and state officials warned of “truck drivers planning to potentially block roads in major metropolitan cities in the United States in protest of, among other things, vaccine mandates for truck drivers”, according to Yahoo News.
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DHS bulletin warns of impact on US
Trucker protests across the country could impact the biggest day of the year for many Americans – Super Bowl Sunday, which is coming up this weekend.
A DHS bulletin sent to local and state officials warned of “truck drivers planning to potentially block roads in major metropolitan cities in the United States in protest of, among other things, vaccine mandates for truck drivers”, according to Yahoo News.
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Stewart Phillip calls on Trudeau to end convoy
In a statement, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, the President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, called on Justin Trudeau to end the “Freedom Convoy.”
Phillip invoked the memory of the Prime Minister’s father, Pierre Trudeau, who had previously invoked the War Measures Act against insurrection.
“Your Father would not have tolerated such a despicable, blatantly racist, and hateful challenge to the democratic ideals and principles of our country,” Phillip wrote.
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Ambassador Bridge sees 10,000 trucks per day
According to the Public Border Operations Association, the Ambassador Bridge carries between 60 and 70 percent of commercial truck traffic in the Detroit/Ontario area.
On an average day, the bridge sees 10,000 trucks.
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When could the convoy reach Washington, DC?
Although the DHS public safety alert issued on Tuesday noted the possible dates for the American version of Canada’s trucker “Freedom Convoy” could line up with the Super Bowl, another source told Yahoo News that was not likely.
The DHS source told the outlet the convoy isn’t likely to reach DC until late March or early April.