Ottawa police threatened on Wednesday (February 9) to arrest any protesters blocking the streets, for the first time after 13 days of protest against sanitary measures which paralyzes the Canadian capital.
"
We advise you that anyone who blocks the streets or helps others to block them may be prosecuted
" and "
is likely to be arrested
," police warned in a statement, adding that vehicles could also be seized.
Read also“Freedom Convoy”: Ottawa truckers, these yellow vests that Canada did not see coming
Earlier in the day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the "
lockdowns
" were "
unacceptable
" and had "
a negative impact on the Canadian economy
".
“
Blockages, illegal demonstrations are unacceptable
” and have “
a negative impact for our businesses, our manufacturers
”, lamented the head of government before the deputies.
“
We must do everything to put an end to
it,” hammered Justin Trudeau.
"
Freedom Convoy
"
Initially called
the "freedom convoy
", this movement aimed to protest against the decision to oblige truckers to be vaccinated to cross the border with the United States.
It has since become a general protest against health measures as a whole and against the government.
Near the Parliament, in Ottawa.
BLAIR GABLE/REUTERS
For three days, protesters have also blocked the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the city of Windsor in Canada to Detroit in the United States.
This bridge is crucial for the automotive industry but also for American hospitals which employ many Canadian nurses: it sees some 40,000 people pass through it every day and 323 million US dollars worth of goods.
Read alsoMichel Maffesoli: “The freedom convoys show that many are fed up with a control society”
The phenomenon arrives in France: thousands of opponents of the vaccine pass have thus announced on social networks that they want to "
drive on Paris
" as part of "
freedom convoys
", inspired by the Canadian truckers who block the center of Ottawa. .
They plan to reach Paris on Friday evening and some then call to join Brussels for a “
European convergence
” on Monday February 14.