Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ruled out using the military to subdue the protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the country.
Commenting on the situation on Thursday, Trudeau said, “One has to be very, very cautious before deploying military in situations engaging Canadians,” adding that deploying the military was not something to “enter into lightly.”
“There is no question of sending in the army,” added the Prime Minister, ending speculation that troops would be deployed to subdue the protestors.
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The movement began in Ottawa last Friday when more thousands emerged to protests against vaccine mandates in the country. More than 200 trucks and other vehicles have since been used to blockade roads in the Canadian capital, prompting authorities to move Trudeau and his family to an undisclosed secure location.
Ottawa residents are reportedly annoyed with the police, who have not taken steps to break the demonstration up, and have instead largely watched the protests to monitor the situation. Only three arrests have been made thus far.
However, on Wednesday, Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly raised concerns about guns being smuggled into the protests, and suggested that the military could be deployed to handle the situation.
“I am increasingly concerned there is no policing solution to this. We’re looking at every single option, including military aid to civil power,” said Sloly, according to CBC, but that suggestion has now been dismissed by the Prime Minister.
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Further, a few people in the protests have also reportedly brandished Nazi flags and harassed and threatened minorities and reporters, something that Trudeau has called “unacceptable.”
The protest’s organisers have said that they plan to hold similar demonstrations in Toronto and Quebec in the coming week, but Quebec officials have warned that they will not tolerate chaos in their city.
