(Natural News) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been moved from the country’s capital in Ottawa as convoys of thousands of truck drivers stream there to protest his government’s continued COVID-19 vaccine, mask and lockdown mandates.
“CBC says Justin Trudeau has been relocated from Rideau Cottage for his safety,” the National Post reported in a live update on Saturday, adding: “Crowds are packing Parliament Hill today to protest the federal Liberal government, vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions.”
The paper continued:
The sounds of honking horns are echoing around Ottawa’s downtown core. About 100 vehicles are idling around the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa, with more trucks and personal vehicles packed on Wellington Street stretching west past Parliament Hill. Hundreds of demonstrators are marching up and down Wellington Street, which runs right in front of Parliament Hill and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The national flag is flying from some vehicles, or draped around the shoulders of some protestors, many of whom appear to be unmasked. Some are carrying copies of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Reuters reported that several trucks and smaller vehicles that joined the convoy were adorned with various anti-mandate signage including some that simply said, “Stop The Mandates.”
Local12 added that by many estimates, the convoy was the largest in the country’s history.
“The ‘Freedom Convoy‘ was reportedly organized to protest against the vaccine mandates put in place at the U.S.-Canada border, as well as mask mandates for truckers, which orders the drivers to wear masks in trucks,” the outlet reported.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been launched to support the drivers along their journey with food, lodging and other necessities. As of this writing, the fund had amassed more than $8 million.
“To our Fellow Canadians, the time for political over reach is over,” the campaign reads. “We are a peaceful country that has helped protect nations across the globe from tyrannical governments who oppressed their people, and now it seems it is happening here.
“We are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our Federal Government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people. Small businesses are being destroyed, homes are being destroyed, and people are being mistreated and denied fundamental necessities to survive. It’s our duty as Canadians to put an end to [these] mandates,” the campaign continues.
The convoy left from British Columbia earlier this week en route to a Saturday rendevous in Ottawa, the Toronto Sun reported. The outlet noted that the convoy “could be reportedly ten times larger than the world record.”
“It’s 70 km (43.5 miles) long,” said Freedom Convoy 2022 spokesperson Benjamin Dichter in an interview with the paper. “I have seen footage from an airplane. It’s impressive.”
Indeed, several social media posts contain videos and photos depicting the enormity of the effort.