A truck stopped by protesters opposing COVID-19 quarantine measures occupied Wellington Street near the Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, on the 5th (local time). Photo by AFP Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Canadian capital Ottawa declared a state of emergency on the 6th (local time) as protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and quarantine regulations prolonged, Bloomberg reported on the same day.
Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa, stated, "The risks caused by the protests are increasing, and the safety of citizens is being threatened," and declared the state of emergency.
Currently, hundreds of trucks have occupied the central streets near the Parliament building in Ottawa, and the protesters show no signs of leaving. The truck protesters are blocking the streets, lighting fires at night, and holding overnight sit-ins.
The truck protests began last month when the regulation requiring mandatory vaccination to cross the border between the United States and Canada came into effect.
Since then, the truck protests have expanded into demonstrations against COVID-19 quarantine measures, and the protest areas have spread across Canada. The protesters have been holding overnight sit-ins in Ottawa since the 28th of last month.
Ottawa residents are complaining about continuous honking and traffic paralysis caused by road blockades. However, the protesters insist they will continue the protests until COVID-19 related restrictions are lifted.
Ottawa police announced that they arrested seven people on the same day for investigations related to the protests and have launched investigations into 97 cases of possible crimes involving the protesters.
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