Police in the Canadian city of Windsor have launched an operation to clear protesters against anti-COVID restrictions on the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Canada and the United States. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing a police statement, by 8 a.m. local time, law enforcement agencies managed to almost completely clear the road from the protesters.
Earlier this week, Canadian truckers, dissatisfied with anti-COVID restrictions, began blocking crossings on the Canada-U.S. border. To begin with, they blocked the busiest one – the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit. More than 25% of commercial freight traffic between Canada and the United States passes through this bridge.
The reason for the dissatisfaction of truckers was the decision of the authorities of Canada and the United States, adopted in the fall of 2021, but which entered into force only on January 15. According to it, Canadian truckers after each border crossing between the two countries are required to either present a certificate of full vaccination and be in quarantine for two weeks, or quit. For workers whose income depends on the number of flights taken, being out of work for two weeks after each foreign flight is critical.
The blocking of the bridge led to serious economic problems. As a result, last Friday, the court granted the appeal of the Windsor City Hall and automakers affected by supply disruptions due to the bridge blocking, and allowed the police to forcefully disperse the demonstrators. By Sunday morning, only a few dozen protesters and cars remained on the bridge. All those who refused to leave the roadway and unblock the road were arrested. The bridge is likely to be reopened by Monday.