Canada’s trucker protests against Covid-19 curbs end, police reclaims capital Ottawa

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After nearly a month of clashes between the police and agitators, the truckers’ protests in Canada has finally come to an end after a massive police operation. The streets in Canada’s capital have finally grown quiet, with the last of the big rigs towed out of Ottawa.

The Canadian police had faced off with protesting truckers in riot gear, after which a major cleanup operation was conducted in Ottawa. The clash between the police and protestors went on for two full days, after which they were driven out of their protest hub outside parliament.

The residents of Ottawa were happy about the streets of the Canadian capital finally being quiet and functional. Jeff Lindley, who lives and works downtown, told news agency AFP, “I’m very happy to have my city back. It’s so much better today, calmer and quieter without the ominous presence of all the trucks and protesters.”

The protests in Canada finally fizzled out on early Sunday morning, after which the police in Ottawa initiated a lockdown-like protocol in several localities, only permitting local residents, workers and government officials in the areas.

Though the protesting group has now disbanded, they have said that they will not admit defeat, and will keep maintaining pressure and work towards their cause. The protests in Canada were taking place due to the strict Covid-19 restrictions imposed in the state, which are one of the strictest in the world.

The country has eased its Covid-19 curbs for the most part amid the significant decline in overall Covid-19 cases, truckers have been demanding a full lift of the restrictions in the country, which has reportedly been causing obstruction in their work.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also facing a lawsuit from a civil liberties group and pushback from political rivals over the decision to invoke rarely used emergency powers to crack down on the unlawful protests.

The trucker protests in Canada began in January against the mandate of getting the Covid-19 vaccine before crossing the US border. This protest has also sparked a possibility of copycats, as there are talks of a similar trucker protest in Washington soon.

(With inputs from agencies)

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