WINDSOR, Canada — Canadian police on Saturday began clearing a
key bridge of truckers protesting
COVID-19 restrictions, even as authorities in
Ottawa braced for renewed demonstrations expected to bring thousands to the
federal capital.
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The provincial
supreme court in Ontario had ordered truckers to end their blockade of the
strategic Ambassador Bridge, which links the city of Windsor in
Canada to
Detroit, Michigan in the US.
The protest has
forced major automakers in both countries to halt or scale back production, and
Washington on Friday urged Ottawa to use its federal powers to end the
blockade.
Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau promised “an increasingly robust police intervention,” adding
that borders cannot remain closed and “this conflict must end.”
Ontario
province, heavily dependent on the auto industry, has declared a state of
emergency.
But while
Canadian police began the process of clearing the Ambassador Bridge — tents
erected in traffic lanes were taken down, and some trucks had left the scene by
mid-morning Saturday — protests continued, there and elsewhere.
As police backed
by armored vehicles advanced slowly on the bridge, dozens of demonstrators
continued to block the way.
“Enforcement
continuing, individuals who are located within the demonstration area are
subject to arrest,” the Windsor police warned on Twitter. “People are advised
to immediately vacate the area.”
The protesters have
been warned that they could face heavy fines, jail time, and loss of their
driver’s licenses if they continue obstructing traffic.
The Ambassador
Bridge is vital to the
US and Canadian auto industries, carrying more than 25
percent of merchandise exported by both countries.
Two other US-Canada
border crossings remain blocked by protests: one linking Manitoba province to
the US state of North Dakota, and a second one in Alberta province.
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