Freedom

By Lisa Lin

WINDSOR, Ont.—More protesters gathered by the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor on the evening of Feb. 11 compared to nights before, despite a court injunction to clear the blockade at the Canada-U.S. border.

Earlier in the day, the Ontario Superior Court granted an injunction to prevent the protesters from blocking the border crossing.

Protesters have been blocking the crossing, which connects Windsor to Detroit, since Feb. 6.

The court injunction came into effect at 7 p.m.

Also on Feb. 11, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the province will be in a state of emergency due to the ongoing protests in Windsor and Ottawa.

The declaration includes giving authorities more powers to deal with any blockages in 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges, and railways, Ford said.

Fines for non-compliance will be up to $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment, Ford said, adding that the provincial government will also provide additional authority for the police to take away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn’t comply with these orders.

The state of emergency starts at midnight. The number of protesters in Windsor on Feb. 11 was higher than the nights before.

The protests were inspired by the trucker protest movement that began as a demonstration against a requirement for truck drivers to have COVID-19 vaccination for cross-border travel. The protests grew in size as people from across Canada joined in, converging in Ottawa on Jan. 29, with many saying they will stay until all COVID-19 mandates are lifted.

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Since then, more vehicle convoy protests have appeared in different parts of the country, including at major Canada-U.S. borders in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta.