Organizers of the Freedom Convoy say they are prepared to maintain their protest against Covid vaccine mandates for Canadian truckers for "as long as it takes."
Tamara Lich, a spokeswoman for the protestors, said the convoy is "well organized" and is "settling in until Canada is a free nation again."
The overlords in Ottawa are freaking out.
After essentially confining residents of Ottawa in their homes for nearly two years via Covid lockdowns, Mayor Jim Watson is now claiming that residents of Ottawa are being held "hostage in their own homes" by the Freedom Convoy.
The mayor tweeted on Wednesday: "This is an absolute disgrace that you would come out & praise this illegal action that has caused stress and hardship to residents who have been putting up with horns blasting throughout the night and residents harassed for wearing a mask & businesses forced to close. Apologize."
As they say, irony is lost on tyrants.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told the City Council on Wednesday that policing alone might not solve what officials are characterizing as the occupation of the city’s downtown core that has lasted for nearly a week. Sloly said it might be time to call in the military.
“This is a national issue, not an Ottawa issue,” Sloly said. “I am increasingly concerned there is no policing solution to this.”
Sloly said options being considered include requesting military help, negotiation, political response, a court injunction or forced removal of protesters.
“I don’t have a singular mandate in this city, this province or this country, to negotiate the end to any demonstration. There always needs to be an element outside of the police for any truly successful end to any demonstration, particularly one of this size,” he said.
Daniel Minden, a spokesperson for the Minister of National Defense, told CBC the Canadian Armed Forces are not currently involved in law enforcement and have no plans to be.
Having fled Ottawa as the Freedom Convoy was approaching, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refused to meet with any of the protesters, who he has called "a small but very vocal minority" who are intent on attacking science and government.
In a moment that provoked hilarity for some, Police Chief Sloly called on Canadians to stop calling 911 to inquire about Trudeau's whereabouts.
BREAKING: Ottawa Police Chief asks citizens to please stop calling 911 to ask where Justin Trudeau is
— Truckistan Amb. Poso 🏁 (@JackPosobiec) February 2, 2022
Meanwhile, Ottawa City Council member Mathieu Fleury on Wednesday called on the government to launch a legal challenge to seize any remaining GoFundMe donations from the Freedom Convoy.
“This morning, I have asked the city manager and city solicitor to immediately launch court proceedings targeting the millions of dollars in funds frozen by Go Fund Me so Ottawa taxpayers are not left holding the bag for these protests,” Fleury tweeted.
Fleury quickly made his Twitter account private after a huge backlash.
Lich said the GoFundMe page for the Convoy has so far raised more than C$10 million ($7.9 million), with about C$1 million released so far to organizers.
GoFundMe announced on Wednesday evening that it paused the fundraising page for the Freedom Convoy.
"This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations," read a notice at the top of the convoy's GoFundMe page, as of Wednesday evening. "Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors. Thank you for your patience."
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