Windsor, Washington On Friday (local time), a Canadian judge issued an order ending a blockade of an important Canadian-US trade corridor due to protests from truck drivers. Ontario Superior Court Justice Geoffrey Moravetz said the injunction would take effect Friday at 7 p.m. local time.
However, several hours after the deadline, more than 200 protesters remained on the Ambassador Bridge between the US and Canada, refusing to disperse the protest. The so-called “freedom convoy” was originally intended as a protest against mandatory vaccinations for some truck drivers. It has since evolved into a demonstration against the government’s pandemic measures in general.
Ottawa’s mayor has already declared a state of emergency due to more than two weeks of protests in the Canadian capital. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau no longer ruled out the possibility of breaking the blockade by force, as they are now having a major impact on the economy in Canada and the United States.
President Joe Biden in a phone call with Trudeau expressed concern over auto plant closures and slowing production, the US presidential office said in a statement. “The two heads of state agreed that the actions of individuals who interfere with travel and trade between our two countries have a significant direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of citizens,” the statement said.
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Ford, America’s second-largest automaker, said on Friday that protests at its Ohio assembly plant had to temporarily halt work. General Motors and Toyota also announced new production cuts. Shares of Canadian auto parts maker Magna International fell 6.4 percent on Friday after the company said it was the first hit from the bridge closure.
Protests from Canadian truck drivers have already inspired similar convoys in France, New Zealand, Australia and the US. Paris and Brussels have already banned truck and car drivers protesting against coronavirus requirements from the cities. Police in the French capital said they wanted to stop the protest operation outside the city limits. In New Zealand and Australia, meanwhile, more and more protesters have been gathering in the capital, Wellington and Canberra, for days to demonstrate against a possible vaccination requirement.
more: Ontario declares state of emergency to stop truckers reluctant to vaccinate
