Freedom Convoy Trucker Protest Continues in Ottawa

MOSCOW, January 31 (Sputnik) - The major trucker protest against coronavirus restrictions continues in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, for the second day in a row.

"This afternoon, a large presence of police continues throughout the downtown core and the movement of protestors and trucks continues to be managed. Emergency lanes are being maintained," the Ottawa police said on Twitter.

Thousands of truckers and others opposed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent public health measures gathered near Parliament Hill on Sunday, according to CBC, which said that crowds were thinning out in the evening.

Meanwhile, police said that the so-called Freedom Convoy protest was expected to continue on Monday.

"Due to the ongoing demonstrations, several #OttCity services will be impacted tomorrow, January 31," Ottawa police warned on Twitter.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson told CBC on Sunday that people have the right to protest, but the city needs to get back to normal life.

"...my hope is that at some point, the police reach the conclusion that it's time to have a serious discussion about moving these people on. They can't keep blocking routes that are emergency routes, that are bus routes, that allow people to get in and out of the downtown core," Watson said.

On Saturday, thousands of truckers and hundreds of other demonstrators gathered in Ottawa, in protest against the recent COVID-19 restrictions, in particular vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the US-Canada border. The truckers had started to arrive in the Canadian capital on Friday night.

Trudeau and his family were moved to a different location from their home in the capital city amid the trucker protest, according to Canadian media reports.