London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 04, 2025

Canadian capital declares state of emergency over Freedom Convoy

Canadian capital declares state of emergency over Freedom Convoy

Ottawa mayor calls emergency due to ongoing anti-Covid mandate protests

Ottawa mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency, citing “serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents,” as Freedom Convoy truckers and their pedestrian supporters continue to occupy the capital. The move comes after Watson lamented earlier on Sunday that police have been outnumbered by the demonstrators, and indicated he wants the federal government to help squash the protest.

“The situation at this point is completely out of control because the individuals with the protest are calling the shots,” Watson told Newstalk radio. “They have far more people than we have police officers and I've indicated to the chief that we have to be much more nimble and proactive when it comes to these activities.”

"Declaring a state of emergency reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government"


Before announcing the emergency, Watson pleaded with the federal government to “sit down and have some kind of a discussion, some kind of mediation to get this situation resolved because it’s now spreading across the country.”


Watson’s statements echoed an admission from Police Chief Peter Sloly on Saturday. “We do not have sufficient resources to adequately and effectively address this situation while adequately and effectively providing policing in this city,” the top cop said during a meeting with the Ottawa Police Services Board. Referring to the demonstration as a “siege,” he insisted it was “something that is different in our democracy than something I’ve ever experienced in my life.”


While Sloly has repeatedly claimed “all options are on the table,” PM Justin Trudeau last week ruled out deploying the military, acknowledging that such a response should be a matter of last resort. The protesters have promised to hold the line until the government repeals its vaccination mandates and QR code “health passports.”

Some 5,000 people and 1,000 vehicles descended on downtown Ottawa on Saturday, joining the multitudes already present on the tenth day of the ongoing demonstration. A smaller counter-protest took place at City Hall.

Police boasted that 450 tickets had been issued in the “red zone” around Parliament Hill since Saturday morning, though most were for minor infractions such as obstructed license plates, seatbelt violations, fireworks or cell phone usage. The Ottawa Police Service is also investigating alleged threats to public officials and a whopping 200 calls to its hate crime hotline, though they didn’t reveal the target of the “hate.”

The protesters have largely refrained from violence and property damage, though that hasn’t stopped Sloly and other opponents of the convoy from invoking the supposed “insurrection” Capitol riot of January 6th. Authorities have placed heavy barricades at key crossing points throughout downtown and closed roads in an effort to keep out the endless parade of trucks.


Attempts to divert trucks to the Ottawa Baseball Stadium to keep them out of downtown appear to have backfired, with the stadium turning into a “staging area” for the demonstrators with saunas and reportedly even bouncy castles for protesters’ children along with a refueling station and other supplies.

Organizers have indicated they plan to stay in Ottawa for the “long haul,” seeking donations from supporters to cover the costs of fuel, food and lodging. After fundraising platform GoFundMe froze $7 million in donations, they regrouped on Christian competitor GiveSendGo, overloading the platform’s servers as supporters rushed to pledge their money once more.

While Ontario has refused to budge regarding its Covid-19 restrictions, the provinces of Quebec and Saskatchewan have already rolled back some of their stricter measures, while Alberta announced a vote to lift the mandates will be held this week.

Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
Justin likely hiding out in Cuba with his relatives as his mom was a slut and Fidel is likely his dad and people wonder where his commie ideas come from
Peter 3 year ago
Liberal arrogance: Mistaking obedience and pragmatism with agreement. The majority of Canadians do not agree with the Liberals. And the Liberals are too arrogant to meet with the protesters.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×