Ottawa remains in a state of emergency as protesters in trucks opposed to Covid-19 restrictions continue to paralyse the centre of the Canadian capital.
At the border with the US, the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit was blockaded by trucks in both directions late on Monday and remains at a near standstill today.
It is a crucial commercial link between the US and Canada and supply chains already under pressure, it could quickly have a negative economic impact.
In Ottawa, the hundreds of truckers have remained on the streets for 13 days. Residents are furious at the disruption and police have now threatened protesters with criminal charges and vehicle seizures, and warned convictions could mean no longer being able to cross into the US.
Mayor Jim Watson has asked the federal government to double the size of the police force to address what he called “an aggressive and hateful occupation of our neighbourhoods” an Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said a Monday evening statement that the protestors should go home and do not represent most Canadians.
With access to GoFundMe cut off, the protestors have turned to other sources of funding and have reportedly been thrown a lifeline by a group of libertarian bitcoin evangelists.
