The Canadian Prime Minister said there were signs truckers were regrouping outside Ottawa and might restart their occupation.
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Justin Trudeau has said his government still need temporary emergency powers after the truckers' blockade, citing "real concerns" about threats in the days ahead.
The Canadian Prime Minister said there were signs truckers were regrouping outside Ottawa and might restart their occupation.
The protest, which was first aimed at a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers but also encompassed fury over the range of Covid-19 restrictions and hatred of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reflected the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger.
“I think we’ve started something here,” said Mark Suitor, a 33-year-old protester from Hamilton, Ontario, speaking as police retook control of the streets around parliament.
Protesters had essentially occupied those streets for more than three weeks, embarrassing Mr Trudeau and energising Canada’s far right. Mr Suitor believes the protests will divide the country, something he welcomes.
“This is going to be a very big division in our country,” he said. “I don’t believe this is the end.”
While most analysts doubt the protests will mark a historic watershed in Canadian politics, it has shaken both of Canada’s two major parties.
The self-styled Freedom Convoy shook Canada’s reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted trade, causing economic damage on both sides of the border. Hundreds of trucks eventually occupied the streets around parliament, a display that was part protest and part carnival.
Authorities moved quickly to reopen the border posts, but police in Ottawa did little but issue warnings until the past couple of days, even as hundreds and sometimes thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the city and besieged Parliament Hill.
On Friday, authorities launched the largest police operation in Canadian history, arresting a string of Ottawa protesters and increasing that pressure on Saturday. Eventually, police arrested at least 170 people and towed away dozens of vehicles. Many protesters retreated as the pressure increased.
The Ottawa protests – the movement’s last major stronghold – appeared to be largely over by Saturday evening, though some protesters warned they were only regrouping.
"This state of emergency is not over. There continue to be real concerns about the coming days," Trudeau told reporters.
Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act last Monday granting authorities broader powers to stop the demonstrations in Ottawa and blockades of several Canada-U.S. border crossings.
"Right now ... people (are) out there indicating that they are ready to blockade, to continue their illegal occupations to disrupt Canadians' lives. We feel that this measure needs to remain in place," he said.
Trudeau also called for people to work together, saying "we don't know when this pandemic is going to end, but that doesn't mean we cannot start healing as a nation".
