“China eats weird animals disease”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is working with the Ottawa police to put an end to the ongoing trucker protest in the nation’s capital as officials brace for a resurgence in demonstrators in the downtown core this coming weekend.

“We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that people are protected and to ensure that this protest, which is now becoming illegal, does come to an end,” Trudeau said in French in the House of Commons on Wednesday, when asked what the federal government is doing to remove truckers from downtown Ottawa as the demonstration stretches into its sixth day.

Ottawa police expect ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest to grow this weekend

Ottawa police say they’re anticipating the “Freedom Convoy” protest that has snarled traffic and filled downtown Ottawa with relentless noise to grow again this weekend as more demonstrators return and that policing may not bring the protest to an end.

“The intelligence that we’re seeing currently is that we will continue to see the convoy attempt to hold what they have,” said deputy chief Steve Bell at a technical briefing on Wednesday. “Expect to see increased vehicular traffic Saturday and through weekend, decreasing Monday.”

Alberta RCMP have clarified reports that officers had been assaulted Tuesday at a protesters’ blockade near the Coutts border crossing, saying that while there were dangerous incidents, no assaults on police had been reported.

The information from police seems to contradict a statement Alberta Premier Jason Kenney made Tuesday while updating media on the tense situation in Coutts, where a blockade of vehicles has snarled traffic since Saturday in a protest against vaccine mandates.

HMA

The kids in school who used to call out at the end of the day, “Teacher, teacher, you forgot to assign homework!”, are now in charge in politics and government.

And being good little rule-followers, they are reluctant to ease up and give individuals back the control that so many Canadians willing relinquished early in the pandemic.

COUTTS, ALTA. – There has been a breakthrough to resolve the impasse at a protest blockade at the United States border in southern Alberta.

Chad Williamson, a lawyer representing truckers blocking access to the border crossing at Coutts, Alta., says they have spoken with Mounties and agreed to open some blocked lanes.

Trucks and other vehicles have begun clearing two lanes — one going north and one going south.

Premier Jason Kenney is calling for calm following an incident he said involved “people allied with the protesters” at the Coutts, Alta., border crossing, describing it as an attempt to “ram members of the RCMP.”

“This kind of conduct is totally unacceptable,” Kenney said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “Assaulting law enforcement officers who are simply doing their job to maintain public safety and the rule of law is completely unacceptable.”

The incident reportedly led to a collision with a civilian vehicle, Kenney said. He also called for people to stay away from the area while the RCMP carry out their action against the blockade.

… The crowd has also reportedly continued to thin out from the thousands of protesters seen over the weekend to about 250 people, including 50 on Parliament Hill.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he “won’t give in” to the protesters’ demands, which range from ending all COVID-19 restrictions to Trudeau’s resignation.

The snow clearing by Truck protesters could have been much more violent warned Ottawa's Mayor – "It was very aggressive shoveling that has unnerved Ottawa bureaucrats not used to seeing actual work" A formal police complaint is being considered. https://t.co/efm5v6pqm0

— Fancypants Maloney (@fancypants_s) February 2, 2022