Protesting truckers have blocked access to three U.S.-Canada border crossings in Michigan, North Dakota, and Montana. The blockage comes after days of protest in Canada over the government's COVID-19 policies and restrictions.
The Canadian government said Thursday that it would be dispatching additional police officers and resources to remove the blockade. Public safety minister, Marco Mendicino, committed to providing sufficient resources to officers to ensure that the illegal blockades are removed.
The trucks have been blocking the downtown center of Ottawa, Canada's capital, for the past two weeks. Demonstrators have recently parked their large trucks in the middle of major highways connecting Canada and the United States.
Protesters blocked the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor and is North America's busiest international crossing, for the fourth day on Thursday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba said a combination of semi-trailers and farm equipment had blocked the border crossing linking Emerson, Manitoba, and Pembina, North Dakota. The Coutts access point, which connects Alberta and Montana, has also been blocked by trucks and other vehicles.
Canada's ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccination mandates for all truckers crossing the U.S.-Canada border, had initially sparked the protests. The protests had soon expanded to public discontent on other COVID-19 regulations, including existing mask mandates, lockdowns, and restrictions on public gatherings.
The border crossing blockades have hindered the flow of commodities and disrupted operations at a number of border auto manufacturers. Due to the blockage, Ford, GM, and Stellantis have all been forced to limit or shut down production. Ford announced that it would be shutting down its Detroit facility because of the blockade.
Public facilities, restaurants, cafes, and other businesses were also severely affected by the blockade. On Thursday, some 60 to 70 cars attempted to disrupt traffic at Ottawa International Airport by circling the arrivals and departure terminals. Footage uploaded on social media showed a small group of automobiles driving around near the airport, honking and waving Canadian flags.
Since the demonstrations began roughly two weeks ago, Ottawa police have made 25 arrests and given over 1,500 fines for traffic, noise, and other offenses.
Chris Spear, the president of the American Trucking Associations, stated on Thursday that he opposes any protest activities that disrupt public safety and undermine the country's economic and national security. The Canadian Trucking Alliance, which represents provincial trucking organizations throughout the country, called for an end to the blockades.
Canada has one of the highest immunization rates in the world, with nearly four out of every five Canadians completely immunized. Almost all truck drivers in Canada are completely vaccinated and eligible to cross the border.
