The discontent towards the sanitary measures and also the exasperation of the citizens at the end of their patience in the face of the demonstrations spread from Ottawa to Quebec yesterday, through the rest of the country.
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More organized than ever, thousands of demonstrators and around 1,000 truckers tirelessly demanded the lifting of restrictions related to COVID-19 for the ninth day in a row in the federal capital.
“It’s a seat […] I don’t know if it’s an insurrection. I have no words to describe what is happening,” said local police chief Peter Sloly, visibly overwhelmed by events.
“We don’t have the resources locally to police this thing,” added Councilor Diane Deans, who chairs the Ottawa Police Services Board.
Photo QMI Agency, Maxime Deland
A cowboy carrying a banner in the name of former United States President Donald Trump was present at the Ottawa protest, which is entering its tenth day.
Pretty much everywhere
In Quebec, the demonstration organized by trade unionist Bernard “Rambo” Gauthier took place in relative calm.
“We are here for our children. We must give them peace, it is important that they can develop normally, ”said Frédérique Bergeron, who came from Trois-Rivières to demonstrate in Quebec.
Photo QMI Agency, René Leclerc
A few thousand people demonstrated against the health measures yesterday near the National Assembly.
The rally in front of the National Assembly finally turned into an open-air party, a few meters from the events organized for the Carnival.
By late evening, truckers began to leave Parliament Hill.
Photo QMI Agency, René Leclerc
The Quebec police said they would tolerate the presence of heavy goods vehicles parked on René-Lévesque Boulevard for the night.
Quebec police said in a statement that they would tolerate the presence of heavy goods vehicles parked on René-Lévesque Boulevard for the night.
momentum
A specialist in social movements, sociologist Marcos Ancelovici believes that truckers benefit from a momentum.
The media coverage of their demands, the tolerance of the Ottawa police and the millions raised through crowdfunding are all “small victories” for the motley group of protesters.
“The balance of power is in their favor, it encourages mobilization,” notes the professor at UQAM.
Photo QMI Agency, Dominic Chan
A Torontonian shows his support for health care workers, alongside the convoy in his city.
Elsewhere in the country, “freedom convoys” and protesters yesterday blocked the arteries of major Canadian cities, including Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec and Winnipeg.
Several have given rise to counter-demonstrations.
– With Anne Caroline Desplanques, Clara Loiseau, Francis Pilon, Stéphanie Martin and Marie-Pier Roy, Le Journal de Québec