Lawmaker from Trudeau's own party RESIGNS and slams him for 'dividing people' after PM smeared anti-mandate Freedom Convoy as 'swastika wavers': Protesters blockade SECOND border crossing after blocking busiest route into the US at Detroit

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke out against trucker protests paralyzing Canada's capital city
  • Trudeau, speaking Monday on the floor of the legislature the first time since the crisis began, warned demonstrators they were affecting the economy and trying to undermine democracy
  • He branded protesters in Ottawa as a 'few people shouting and waving swastikas'  
  • He dismissed opposition viewpoints that the trucks and big rigs parked throughout in Ottawa were a symbol of how bitterly divided the country was over the pandemic
  • 'This is a story of a country that got through this pandemic by being united, and a few people shouting and waving swastikas does not define who Canadians are,' Trudeau said 
  • 'This pandemic has sucked for all Canadians,' the prime minister said. 'Everyone's tired of COVID, but these protests are not the way to get through it' 
  •  Joel Lightbound, a lawmaker for Trudeau's Liberal Party, rebuked his leader Tuesday for dividing Canadians and said his government needs to create a road map for when coronavirus measures should be lifted
  • Tucker Carlson has also slammed Trudeau's response, claiming the demonstrators are treated like terrorists
  • Canadian truckers blasted the government and Ottawa police after members of their 'Freedom Convoy' protest were arrested and charged with hate crimes  
  • Demonstrations continued into Tuesday as trucks blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing to the United States, between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario
  • The bridge, which is normally traveled by approximately 8,000 big rigs a day, remained closed on the U.S. side Tuesday morning, according Michigan Department of Transportation 

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A lawmaker from Justin Trudeau's own party resigned Tuesday after accusing the prime minister of dividing the people of Canada, saying the federal government's pandemic response has become 'politicized' and 'divisive.'  

Liberal Quebec MP Joël Lightbound's announcement comes a day after the prime minister sparked outrage for branding anti-mandate protesters of the Freedom Convoy 'swastika wavers' after week-long demonstrations paralyzed the capital city of Ottawa.

It comes after a second border crossing this week became blocked by truckers in a protest that caused long backups and at one point stopped traffic in both directions.  

The first blockade cut off traffic Monday at Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing between the U.S. and Canada. The bridge remains blocked Tuesday, on the road to Canada.

Later that same night, both lanes of the Coutts border crossing in southern Alberta were also blocked by truck protesters. By Tuesday morning, traffic was flowing again, although congestion remained, according to the Alberta RCMP.

Trudeau said Monday that the protesters are 'trying to blockade our economy, our democracy,' and it has to stop. 

'This is a story of a country that got through this pandemic by being united, and a few people shouting and waving swastikas does not define who Canadians are,' Trudeau said Monday, speaking to the House of Commons in Ottawa, his first public appearance since testing positive for COVID-19 on January 31.

A flag incorporating the Nazi symbol was spotted in the initial days of the protests, and DailyMail.com's reporter, who's been there for a week, has not seen any.  

A photo was posted by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Twitter, on January 30, with a statement that read: 'Twenty-four hours after International Holocaust Remembrance Day and on The National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia, there are Nazi flags being flown in public, in Canada, on Parliament Hill. This should be horrifying to all Canadians.' 

The daily demonstrations staged by the Freedom Truck Convoy are centered in Ottawa, where demonstrators have used hundreds of parked trucks to paralyze parts of the capital for more than 10 days.

'Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens' daily lives,' Trudeau said Monday, while the protest continued outside. 'It has to stop. The people of Ottawa don't deserve to be harassed in their own neighborhoods.'  

Protesters have said they will not leave until all vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. They also called for the removal of Trudeau's government, though it is responsible for few of the restrictive measures, most of which were put in place by provincial governments. 

Canadian lawmakers, both with Trudeau's liberal party and of the opposition, expressed increasing worry about the economic effects of the disruptive demonstrations with some conservative leaders accusing the prime minister of inflicting further division across the country.  

Lightbound, who was a lawmaker for Trudeau's Liberal Party, rebuked his leader Tuesday for dividing Canadians and said his government needs to create a road map for when coronavirus measures should be lifted.  

 He added that people who question existing policies should not be 'demonized' by their prime minister.

 'I can't help but notice with regret that both the tone and the policies of my government have changed drastically since the last election campaign. It went from a more positive approach to one that stigmatizes and divides people,' Lightbound said. 

'It's becoming harder and harder to know when public health stops and where politics begins,' he said. 'It's time to stop dividing Canadians and pitting one part of the population against another.'

After expressing his disagreement with government police, he resigned as chair of the Quebec Liberal caucus. But will remain a member of the Liberal caucus. 

'Everyone is tired of COVID, but these protests are not the way to get through it,' Trudeau said Monday. 'We shouldn't be fighting one another, we should be united to fight the virus. It's a fight against the virus.'

But the protests continues Monday into Tuesday as the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing between the U.S. and Canada became partially blocked by truckers in a protest that caused long backups and at one point stopped traffic in both directions. The bridge remains blocked Tuesday, on the road to Canada.   

Trucks and other vehicles block the route leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, on Tuesday, as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Trucks and other vehicles block the route leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, on Tuesday, as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandate

'Freedom Convoy' truckers have completely stopped traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, which links Windsor, Ontario with Denver for a third day in a row. Traffic is completely blocked for anyone trying to enter Canada from Michigan. The route is the busiest trade route between the two countries

One lane from Canada into the United States opened Tuesday morning, but the US side remains closed

Trucks blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing to the United States. By Tuesday morning, Windsor Police said in a tweet that one lane of U.S.-bound traffic is open and can be accessed via Wyandotte Street West

Trucks blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing to the United States. By Tuesday morning, Windsor Police said in a tweet that one lane of U.S.-bound traffic is open and can be accessed via Wyandotte Street West

The owner of the bridge, the Detroit International Bridge Co, said international commerce on the bridge needed to resume. Canada sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the United States, and the bridge usually handles around 8,000 trucks a day

The owner of the bridge, the Detroit International Bridge Co, said international commerce on the bridge needed to resume. Canada sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the United States, and the bridge usually handles around 8,000 trucks a day 

Canada's Border Services Agency said on Tuesday that the bridge, which links to Detroit, Michigan, was closed, but police later tweeted that one U.S.-bound lane had opened.

The 'Freedom Convoy,' which shut down all lanes of the bridge between Canada to Detroit by 7 p.m. on Monday, showed how demonstrations could trickle into the United States.  

The bridge, which is normally traveled by approximately 8,000 big rigs and 68,000 travelers daily, remained closed on the U.S. side Tuesday morning, according Michigan Department of Transportation. 

The owner of the bridge, the Detroit International Bridge Co., said international commerce on the bridge needed to resume. Canada sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the United States, and the bridge usually handles around 8,000 trucks a day.

'We encourage the appropriate officials to take prompt action to alleviate the situation as quickly as possible in a manner that reflects mutual respect,' the company's chairman, Matt Moroun, said in a statement. 

Police in Ottawa on Sunday said they have arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations into 'Freedom Convoy' for hate crimes and mischief as they seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles. 

The hate crimes included an individual who urinated on the National War Memorial. One danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There were reports of others who carried signs and flags with swastikas, police said. 

Trudeau added that he knows everyone is tired of COVID-19 but this is not the way. He said the restrictions won't last forever and noted that Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.     

François Laporte, the president of Teamsters Canada, which represents over 55,000 drivers, including 15,000 long-haul truck drivers, said the protests do not represent the industry in which 90% of drivers are vaccinated.

The Freedom Convoy 'and the despicable display of hate led by the political Right and shamefully encouraged by elected conservative politicians does not reflect the values of Teamsters Canada, nor the vast majority of our members, and in fact has served to de-legitimize the real concerns of most truck drivers today,' Laporte said in a statement. 

Trudeau continues to take a hard line against the protesters. The prime minister said everyone is tired of COVID-19, and that the restrictions will not last forever. He noted that Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. 

'This government has been focused every step of the way on following the best science, the best public health advice, to keep as many people as safe as possible. Frankly, it´s worked,' Trudeau said Tuesday, noting the country's lower infection and death rates 'because Canadians stepped up and got vaccinated.'

'I can understand frustrations with mandates,' he added. 'But mandates are the way to avoid further restrictions.'    

Meanwhile, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan became the first in the country to announce a plan to lift all COVID-19 restrictions. Saskatchewan officials said they will no longer require COVID-19 vaccine passports starting Monday. The province with a population of almost 1.2 million people is also ending its indoor mask mandate at the end of the month.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, a Conservative, said the benefits of providing proof of vaccination to enter businesses such as restaurants no longer outweigh the cost. He said the passport has created deep divisions.

In Alberta, another Conservative stronghold, the premier planned later Tuesday to announce a plan 'to lift damaging restrictions if pressure on our hospitals continues to decline.'

The Quebec government said most COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted across the province by March 14, except for mask mandates and the vaccine passport system.  

Freedom Convoy demonstrations continued Monday evening into Tuesday as trucks blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing to the United States, forcing police to close the bridge

Freedom Convoy demonstrations continued Monday evening into Tuesday as trucks blocked traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing to the United States, forcing police to close the bridge

Webcam footage shows the lack of traffic Tuesday morning on Windsor Plaza heading towards the U.S. at the Ambassador Bridge after it was closed following Monday's truck protests

Webcam footage shows the lack of traffic Tuesday morning on Windsor Plaza heading towards the U.S. at the Ambassador Bridge after it was closed following Monday's truck protests

Conservative leaders, who have repeatedly questioned the prime minister for his handling of the pandemic, slammed Trudeau's remarks from Monday, accusing him of stoking division during the protests. 

'We are at a crisis point, not just outside the doors and across the country, but the country overall,' Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen said. 'And so much of it is because of the things he's said and done.'  

Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed the demonstrators are being treated like terrorists. 

'This is a peaceful, political protest. No one has shown any evidence to the contrary. It's not a drug trafficking or human trafficking operation. It's not Al Qaeda,' Carlson said on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight.

'These are Canadian citizens who drive trucks for a living, but they're being treated like a terror group.' 

The truckers themselves have strongly denied that they have ties to ultra-right-wing groups, insisting they are just 'ordinary truckers,' he said. 

Carlson added, 'GoFundMe announced it would redirect the $10 million raised by supporters of the truckers to charities of its choice, presumably BLM, which it has supported since the very beginning. In other words, GoFundMe planned to steal that money.'

But GoFundMe have said that all donations made to the Freedom Convoy fundraiser would be refunded automatically.

They had previously outlined a plan to distribute the funds to verified charities selected by the Freedom Convoy organizers - not selected by GoFundMe as Carlson claimed - but the organization later decided to refund all donations to 'simplify' the process. 

The truckers are protesting rules that say that any unvaccinated drivers have to quarantine for two weeks after crossing the US/Canada border in either direction.

Originally, both countries allowed an exemption for truckers to ease the supply chain crisis that has developed since COVID hit, but Canada ended that exemption on January 15 and the United States followed suit a week later. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: 'It has to stop,' he said. 'Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens´ daily lives'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: 'It has to stop,' he said. 'Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens´ daily lives'

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau responds to truck protests 

Individuals are trying to blockade our economy, our democracy, and our fellow citizens' daily lives. It has to stop. People of Ottawa don't deserve to be harassed in their own neighborhoods, don't deserve to be confronted with the inherent violence of a swastika flying on a street corner, or a confederate flag, or the insults and jeers just because they're wearing a mask. 

That's not who Canadians are. That's not what Canadians demonstrated over the past two years of consistently, continually being there for each other. People of Ottawa, indeed people across the country, deserve to have their safety respected and  deserve to get their lives back. 

From the beginning of this demonstration, our government has been in close contact with the mayor of Ottawa and municipal and provincial  officials. So far, the RCMP has mobilized nearly 300 officers to support the Ottawa Police Services and is ready to do more. Yesterday, the city of Ottaway declared a state of emergency. We're convening a table to with the relevant federal and municipal partners to further strengthen our response. The federal government will be there with whatever resources the province and city need in this situation. 

This blockade, these protesters, they're not the story of this pandemic. They're not the story of Canadians in this pandemic. From the very beginning, Canadians stepped up to be there for one another. To support their neighbors. To support the elderly. To support frontline workers, by doing the right thing. By wearing masks, by getting vaccinated, by following public health restrictions. 

We're all tired by the pandemic. Frustrated, we're worn down. None more worn down than the frontline workers who have gone flat out for two years. But everyone is tired of wearing masks, of having to follow public health restrictions, nobody wants to do that.   

This pandemic has sucked for all Canadians. But Canadians know the way to get through it is to continue listening to science, continuing to lean on each other, continuing to be there for each other.  

Everyone is tired of COVID, but these protests are not the way to get through it. We shouldn't be fighting one another, we should be united to fight the virus. It's a fight against the virus. 

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The convoy, which organizers claimed stretched up to 45 miles long, set out from Prince Rupert, on the Pacific coast of British Columbia, on January 22 and arrived in the nation's capital last week, blocking roads and disturbing the downtown area. 

The protests have infuriated people who live around downtown, including neighborhoods near Parliament Hill, the seat of the federal government. 

On Monday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Hugh McLean issued a 10-day injunction, effective as of yesterday, banning stationary trucks from honking their horns in the Freedom Convoy.

He said: 'Tooting a horn is not an expression of any great thought I'm aware of,' adding that the local residents' right to peace and quiet outweighed the truckers' right to protest. He said the restrictions won't last forever and noted that Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. 

At Monday's parliament meeting, Trudeau insisted that Canadians are united. He also praised the handful of Conservative lawmakers who have called for the protesters to leave Ottawa's streets, while imploring others to follow suit.

'I've seen members of the opposition call for an end to the blockades,' Trudeau said. 'I salute that. This is a time to put national interests ahead of partisan interests.' 

Scenes at the Parliament Hill in Downtown Ottawa, where truckers are protesting against the Covid mandates with a clear message to the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau

Scenes at the Parliament Hill in Downtown Ottawa, where truckers are protesting against the Covid mandates with a clear message to the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau 

Signs and flags are seen on the front of a truck in Ottawa on Monday

Signs and flags are seen on the front of a truck in Ottawa on Monday

Canada's Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said that American officials should stay out of his country's domestic affairs, joining other Canadian leaders in pushing back against prominent Republicans who offered support for the protests of COVID-19 restrictions that have besieged downtown Ottawa for more than a week. 

'We need to be vigilant about potential foreign interference ... Whatever statements may have been made by some foreign official are neither here nor there. We´re Canadian. We have our own set of laws. We will follow them,' Mendicino said.

In a letter to Trudeau and the public safety minister, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said 'what was initially described as a peaceful protest has now turned into a siege of our downtown area' with 400 to 500 trucks.

On Sunday, the mayor declared a state of emergency, and pleaded for almost 2,000 extra police officers to help quell the raucous nightly demonstrations staged by the protesters.  

Protests unfolded elsewhere, too.  

On Tuesday, hundreds of people drove in convoy to New Zealand's capital and converged outside Parliament as lawmakers reconvened after a summer break.

The mostly unmasked protesters had driven from around the country, and their vehicles clogged the central Wellington streets for hours as they got out to meet and speak on Parliament's forecourt.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern elected not to meet with them as she delivered a speech to lawmakers outlining her priorities for the year.

Among the protesters' grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against the coronavirus, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel.

Many protesters also oppose mask mandates - such as those in stores and among children over about age 8 in school classrooms - and champion the ideal of more 'freedom.'

New Zealand was spared the worst of the pandemic after it closed its borders and implemented strict lockdowns, limiting the spread of the virus. The nation has reported just 53 virus deaths among its population of 5 million. 

But some have grown weary of the restrictions. Ardern last week said the country would end its quarantine requirements for incoming travelers in stages as it reopened its borders.

With about 77 percent of New Zealanders fully vaccinated, Ardern has also promised she won't impose more lockdowns.

Health officials have been reporting about 200 new virus cases each day as an outbreak of the omicron variant grows. Fourteen people are currently hospitalized because of the virus.

Police said Tuesday afternoon they hadn't made any arrests and that protest organizers had asked protesters to move their cars and trucks by 5 p.m., ahead of the evening rush hour.

Wellington council officials had earlier indicated they were reluctant to issue tickets or order motorists to move, saying on social media, 'We must consider the safety of our staff and do not want to put them in harm´s way.' 

In Alaska, more than 100 truck drivers rallied in support of their counterparts in Canada by driving the 10 miles from Anchorage to Eagle River.

Hundreds of supporters of the convoy also marched across the Brooklyn Bridge Monday in protest against the vaccine mandates. They showed their support by waving the Canada flag and carrying signs that echoed the sentiments of the 'Freedom Convoy' mission as they marched to protest their own mandates.  

They marched from Downtown Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, to City Hall, chanting, 'No medical tyranny, no vaccine mandates' and 'My body, my choice. The vaccine you will not force.'

Many members of the GOP have made comments supporting the demonstrations, including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a 'far left lunatic' who has 'destroyed Canada with insane COVID mandates.'

A convoy of vehicles block a road near New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington Tuesday, as hundreds of people protesting vaccine and mask mandates drove in convoy

A convoy of vehicles block a road near New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington Tuesday, as hundreds of people protesting vaccine and mask mandates drove in convoy 

Protesters hold placards as they support the convoy of vehicles blocking New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington, Tuesday. Among the protesters' grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against the coronavirus, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel

Protesters hold placards as they support the convoy of vehicles blocking New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington, Tuesday. Among the protesters' grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against the coronavirus, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel

A man uses a fuel container to refuel a semi-trailer truck parked in front of an Ottawa Police officer in their vehicle along Wellington Street in Ottawa

A man uses a fuel container to refuel a semi-trailer truck parked in front of an Ottawa Police officer in their vehicle along Wellington Street in Ottawa

Ontario Provincial Police officers, right, walk past a group of people arranging fuel containers along Wellington Street on Monday. A day earlier, Ottawa Police announced that anyone bringing material support to the protests, including gas, could be arrested

Ontario Provincial Police officers, right, walk past a group of people arranging fuel containers along Wellington Street on Monday. A day earlier, Ottawa Police announced that anyone bringing material support to the protests, including gas, could be arrested

The truckers deny there is any extremist element to their protest, claiming officials are trying to paint them in a negative light

The truckers deny there is any extremist element to their protest, claiming officials are trying to paint them in a negative light

Canadian authorities have taken an increasingly hard line against the 'Freedom Convoy' protesters and have opened over 60 criminal investigations

Canadian authorities have taken an increasingly hard line against the 'Freedom Convoy' protesters and have opened over 60 criminal investigations

Police in Ottawa arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations into 'Freedom Convoy' for hate crimes and mischief as they seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles on Sunday

Police in Ottawa arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations into 'Freedom Convoy' for hate crimes and mischief as they seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles on Sunday

People carry fuel cans after police said they will be targeting the truckers' fuel supply as truckers and their supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates

People carry fuel cans after police said they will be targeting the truckers' fuel supply as truckers and their supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates

Ottawa truckers fill their trucks with gas after a 10-day-long protest by drivers over Covid-19 restrictions that has gridlocked its city center

Ottawa truckers fill their trucks with gas after a 10-day-long protest by drivers over Covid-19 restrictions that has gridlocked its city center

The Freedom Convoy was supposed to end on January 29 but as of February 8 truckers are still dominating the downtown area of Ottawa and Toronto

The Freedom Convoy was supposed to end on January 29 but as of February 8 truckers are still dominating the downtown area of Ottawa and Toronto

Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency to help deal with an unprecedented 10-day occupation by protesting truckers (file photo)

Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency to help deal with an unprecedented 10-day occupation by protesting truckers (file photo)

Many members of the GOP have made comments supporting the demonstrations, including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a 'far left lunatic' who has 'destroyed Canada with insane COVID mandates.'

Protesters have said they will not leave until all vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. They also called for the removal of Trudeau's government, though it is responsible for few of the restrictive measures, most of which were put in place by provincial governments.

Prominent Republicans including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton complained after crowdfunding site GoFundMe said it would refund the vast majority of the millions of dollars raised by demonstrators.

The site said it cut off funding for protest organizers after determining that their efforts violated the site´s terms of service by engaging in unlawful activity. Ontario Provincial Premier Doug Ford has called the protest an occupation. 

In response, Paxton tweeted: 'Patriotic Texans donated to Canadian truckers' worthy cause.' Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on Fox News that 'government doesn't have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates.' 

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino shot back: 'It is certainly not the concern of the Texas attorney general as to how we in Canada go about our daily lives in accordance with the rule of law.'

'We need to be vigilant about potential foreign interference... Whatever statements may have been made by some foreign official are neither here nor there. We're Canadian. We have our own set of laws. We will follow them,' Mendicino said.

Ottawa Police arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations for hate crimes and mischief during another weekend of unrest in the country's capital city. A group of police officers walk past a Canadian flag near Parliament Hill, pictured on Monday

Ottawa Police arrested seven people and opened 60 criminal investigations for hate crimes and mischief during another weekend of unrest in the country's capital city. A group of police officers walk past a Canadian flag near Parliament Hill, pictured on Monday 

Police seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles Sunday as Ottawa mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency. Pictured: People carry fuel cans after cops said they would be targeting truckers' fuel supply, pictured on Monday

Police seized fuel and supplies for 1,000 vehicles Sunday as Ottawa mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency. Pictured: People carry fuel cans after cops said they would be targeting truckers' fuel supply, pictured on Monday

In a letter to Trudeau and the public safety minister, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said 'what was initially described as a peaceful protest has now turned into a siege of our downtown area' with 400 to 500 trucks.

He asked for 2,000 additional police officers. That would nearly double the existing resources of the entire Ottawa Police Service, which has 2,100 police and civilian members.

Dominic LeBlanc, the minister of intergovernmental affairs, blamed the GOP interference for inciting disorderly conduct and helping to fund entities that are not respecting Canadian law. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said Paxton was wrong for commenting on it.

Bruce Heyman, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, said groups in the U.S. need to stop funding and interfering in the domestic affairs of America's neighbor.

On the street in front of Parliament Hill were thousands of signs ranging from 'no more mandates' and 'freedom of choice' to 'truck you Trudeau' and some compared vaccine mandates to fascism.

Trudeau has called the protesters a 'fringe,' but he faces calls by the opposition Conservative party to extend an 'olive branch' to them. Some Conservative lawmakers, including one running to lead the party, have met and posted for pictures with them.

The Freedom convoy truckers take up all three lanes of a street on Monday in a scene that is typical of downtown Ottawa in recent days

The Freedom convoy truckers take up all three lanes of a street on Monday in a scene that is typical of downtown Ottawa in recent days

Protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest in Ottawa, Canada on Monday

Protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest in Ottawa, Canada on Monday

A man is seen with a jerrycan near the Parliament Hill on Monday in Ottawa as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates
Truckers carry jerrycans to refuel as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates against Covid-19, in Ottawa. The city has declared a state of emergency after the long protests by truck drivers over vaccine mandates and Covid-19 restrictions

Truckers carry jerrycans to refuel as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates against Covid-19, in Ottawa. The city has declared a state of emergency after the long protests by truck drivers over vaccine mandates and Covid-19 restrictions

Protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest in Ottawa on Monday

Protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest in Ottawa on Monday

Police take measures while protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest on Monday

Police take measures while protesters of the Freedom convoy gather near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest on Monday

People carrying jerry cans are stopped by police on the streets of Ottawa. They had been told that they could face arrest

People carrying jerry cans are stopped by police on the streets of Ottawa. They had been told that they could face arrest

A barber cuts hair for trucker near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates on Monday morning

A barber cuts hair for trucker near the parliament hill as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates on Monday morning

Members of the Freedom Convoy are seen with their flags and signs near the Canadian parliament on Monday

Members of the Freedom Convoy are seen with their flags and signs near the Canadian parliament on Monday

Hundreds of supporters of Canada's 'Freedom Convoy' and New York City workers who are facing termination if not vaccinated by the end of the week marched across the Brooklyn Bridge Monday

 Hundreds of supporters of Canada's 'Freedom Convoy' and New York City workers who are facing termination if not vaccinated by the end of the week marched across the Brooklyn Bridge Monday 

They marched from Downtown Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, to City Hall, chanting, 'No medical tyranny, no vaccine mandates' and 'My body, my choice. The vaccine you will not force'

They marched from Downtown Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, to City Hall, chanting, 'No medical tyranny, no vaccine mandates' and 'My body, my choice. The vaccine you will not force'

One man wears a Trumpian style cap with the message 'Canada First' while holding an older flag of Canada used in the 1800s

One man wears a Trumpian style cap with the message 'Canada First' while holding an older flag of Canada used in the 1800s

A man is seen with a jerrycan near Parliament Hill as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates on Monday

A man is seen with a jerrycan near Parliament Hill as truckers continue to protest vaccine mandates on Monday

The Canadian parliament can be seen in the background rising above signs of freedom

The Canadian parliament can be seen in the background rising above signs of freedom 

There appear to be a carnival-type atmosphere on the ground with colorful flags being waved

There appear to be a carnival-type atmosphere on the ground with colorful flags being waved

Embattled Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly called the demonstration an 'unprecedented protest never seen in Canada' and acknowledged that authorities failed to plan for it to last more than three days.

Steve Bell, the city's deputy police chief, said a person from Ohio was arrested in connection with a threat against Ottawa police headquarters.

Meanwhile, Ottawa police were investigating a fire at an apartment building that was apparently set by protesters. Matias Munoz said residents of the building south of Parliament Hill were already at their wits' end Saturday night as the noise of the protest blared through their homes for the ninth night in a row.

When he came downstairs Sunday morning, Munoz said the carpet and floor were charred, and there were blackened fire-starter bricks strewn across the lobby.

Surveillance video showed two men light a package of the bricks in the lobby and tape or tie the front door handles together before leaving through a side door before dawn. The video also showed a different man entering the building and putting the fire out a short while later, Munoz said.

'Somebody trying to do something as insidious as taping the door shut so people can't leave if there's a fire in the main lobby - it's terror, is what it is,? Munoz said.

Ottawa police declined to release details, citing the ongoing investigation.

In other developments, Ontario Superior Court Justice Hugh McLean granted a 10-day injunction to prevent truckers parked on city streets in downtown Ottawa from honking their horns incessantly.

Protest organizer Tamara Lich said Monday that activists were willing to engage with the government to find a way out of the crisis, but insisted that pandemic restrictions be eased.

'What we're trying to do right now is reaching out to all of the federal parties so that we can arrange a sit down,' Lich said during a meeting streamed on YouTube.

'So that we can start these talks and see how we can move forward, have their mandates and the restrictions lifted, restore Canadians rights and freedoms and go home.'

A man holds a sign stating his intent to stay at Parliament Hill in Ottawa for the foreseeable future

A man holds a sign stating his intent to stay at Parliament Hill in Ottawa for the foreseeable future

A man carries a flag and a jerry can to refuel his truck in downtown Ottawa on Monday

A man carries a flag and a jerry can to refuel his truck in downtown Ottawa on Monday 

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