London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Freedom Convoy: Blockade at Alberta border crossing 'unlawful'

Freedom Convoy: Blockade at Alberta border crossing 'unlawful'

Tensions are rising at one of the US-Canada border's busiest ports of entry over a vehicle blockade that has halted traffic and disrupted services.

The demonstration is tied to the ongoing nationwide "Freedom Convoy" protests over Canada's new restrictions on unvaccinated cross-border truckers.

Some motorists and area residents have reportedly been stuck in standstill since the protest began on Saturday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta said the event was "unlawful".

They said "extensive efforts" to negotiate with protest organisers had failed and the force has tapped "additional resources" to make arrests or tow trucks if needed.

"While we thought we had a path to resolve this, the protesters chose not to comply," a statement said.

The Freedom Convoy began as a call to end a federal vaccine mandate that would require unvaccinated Canadian truckers returning from across the US border to quarantine and get tested once they are home.

It has since grown into a push to end all vaccine mandates nationwide and what supporters see as government overreach of 1Covid1-19 restrictions.

But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not engage with, or cave in to, the demands of protestors. "My focus is standing with Canadians and getting through this pandemic," he said.

The line-up of trucks in Alberta extends for several miles along the main Highway 4 into the border village of Coutts.

Some 250 people live in Coutts and Mayor Jim Willett said the protest was blocking residents' access to the grocery store and the gas station, and playing havoc with mail delivery and school bus pickups.

"Once they blocked off commerce and blocked off the highway, they lost some of my sympathy because now you've gone beyond protest," he told CBC News.

Officials across the border in the US state of Montana have also reportedly turned away motorists trying to cross into Canada.

Alberta's minister of transportation Rajan Sawhney said dozens of truckers have been stranded since the weekend with little access to food or medical assistance.

"Everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but our supply chain and the livelihoods of those trying to cross the border should not suffer because of that," she wrote on Twitter, calling for "a peaceful resolution" to the blockade.

But there are few signs the protest is nearing its end. The crowd of demonstrators that spilled into the capital city of Ottawa over the weekend has thinned, but organisers have pledged to create a "logistics nightmare" for the government.

A GoFundMe page to support the convoy has raised more than C$9m ($7m; £5.2m).

Several US public figures, from Donald Trump to Elon Musk, have endorsed the protest, and there are reports another convoy could make its way from California to Washington DC in protest of similar 1Covid1 rules for cross-border truckers in the US.

Officials are concerned about how the demonstrations will impact the economies of both countries as they continue to recover from the pandemic.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has called on officials from both governments "to suspend the application of the quarantine requirement for truckers" and work more closely on supply chain issues.

But Mr Kenney - who says the blockade violates the Alberta Traffic Safety Act - has also called for an immediate end to the protests, saying they have caused "significant inconvenience for lawful motorists".

He warned those involved that, under provincial law, they could face fines or jail sentences for creating unsafe conditions on the highway.

"If participants in this convoy cross the line and break the law, I expect police to take appropriate action," he said.

Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
Were are the American truckers on the other side of the border at this crossing? If they had any balls they would be blocking up there hiway to this crossing.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×