Canadian capital
Ottawa declared a state of emergency Sunday after truckers protesting a vaccine
mandate brought the city to a halt. Ottawa mayor Jim Watson said the declaration
of emergency was meant to highlight the need for other wings of the government to
come to the aid of the city.

Thousands of
truckers who frequently travel between the United States and Canada are
protesting the imposition of a vaccine mandate that came into force on January
15. The current protests are being seen to be led primarily by anti-vaxxers and
the protesters have often been accused of resorting to violence.

The declaration of
a state of emergency has given Ottawa some additional powers. The city
administration can now call in support from various jurisdictions and levels of
government, according to the Associated Press.

The protests have
rocked Ottawa for days on end now. Residents have been complaining of
aggressive interactions with protestors. Nearly a week ago, Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau and his family had to be moved to an undisclosed safehouse on
account of the protests.

Also Read | On truckers’ protests, Justin Trudeau says no to “military solution”

The protestors
have also been accused of desecrating the National War Memorial and were seen
carrying Nazi and Confederate flags, according to reports in local and US
media.

Last week, the Ottawa
police chief Peter Sloly said, “I am increasingly concerned that there’s no
policing solution to this. We’re considering every option including military
aid to civil power.”

Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau, however, was unconvinced. He said governments must be “very,
very cautious before deploying the military in situations against Canadians.”

The truckers’
protest, also called the “Freedom Truck Convoy”, has also spread to Toronto,
Canada’s largest city, albeit marginally. Over the weekend, police put up
barricades to stop trucks or cars to get too close to the provincial
legislature.

In Ottawa, protestors remain resolute. They said they were not going to leave until all
mandates and COVID curbs were removed, Guardian reported. A section within the
protestors are also calling for the removal of Justin Trudeau’s government.