Ontario Premier Declares ‘State of Emergency’ in Response to Border Blockade

Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on Friday, February 11, in response to a blockade led by protesters opposing vaccine mandates at a border crossing that connects Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan. Ford made the announcement on the fifth day of the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, which is an offshoot of the “Freedom Convoy” protests that have centered on the Canadian capital of Ottawa. This footage from Aileen Ward, who took part in the protests, shows demonstrators on a roadway in Windsor on Thursday evening, before Ford’s announcement. In a press conference Friday morning, Ford said an Ontario court had allowed his government to freeze funds being channeled to the protesters, and said temporary orders were being enacted that could see protesters facing fines of up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison. Ford said “$700 billion of two-way trade” crossed the Ambassador Bridge every day, and that the blockade was affecting “millions of families.” The right to protest, Ford said, “cannot extend to cutting off that lifeline.” Ford said the “vast majority” of participants had protested peacefully and went home, and said their concerns had been “heard loud and clear.” However, he accused those continuing to protest at the Ambassador Bridge of denying “hundreds of thousands” of Ontario residents the right to work, and said the demonstrators in Ottawa were laying “siege” to the city. “I call it a siege, because that’s what it is. It’s an illegal occupation,” Ford said. On Thursday, Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer called on Canadian authorities to “reopen traffic on the bridge,” which she said was the “busiest land border crossing in North America.” Whitmer said the blockade was having a “significant impact on Michigan’s working families who are just trying to do their jobs.” Credit: Aileen Ward via Storyful

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February 12, 2022 at 12:26AM
Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on Friday, February 11, in response to a blockade led by protesters opposing vaccine mandates at a border crossing that connects Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan. Ford made the announcement on the fifth day of the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, which is an offshoot of the “Freedom Convoy” protests that have centered on the Canadian capital of Ottawa. This footage from Aileen Ward, who took part in the protests, shows demonstrators on a roadway in Windsor on Thursday evening, before Ford’s announcement. In a press conference Friday morning, Ford said an Ontario court had allowed his government to freeze funds being channeled to the protesters, and said temporary orders were being enacted that could see protesters facing fines of up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison. Ford said “$700 billion of two-way trade” crossed the Ambassador Bridge every day, and that the blockade was affecting “millions of families.” The right to protest, Ford said, “cannot extend to cutting off that lifeline.” Ford said the “vast majority” of participants had protested peacefully and went home, and said their concerns had been “heard loud and clear.” However, he accused those continuing to protest at the Ambassador Bridge of denying “hundreds of thousands” of Ontario residents the right to work, and said the demonstrators in Ottawa were laying “siege” to the city. “I call it a siege, because that’s what it is. It’s an illegal occupation,” Ford said. On Thursday, Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer called on Canadian authorities to “reopen traffic on the bridge,” which she said was the “busiest land border crossing in North America.” Whitmer said the blockade was having a “significant impact on Michigan’s working families who are just trying to do their jobs.” Credit: Aileen Ward via Storyful