Canadian trucker ‘Freedom Convoy’: 2 charged, 13 active investigations: LIVE UPDATES
Thousands of protesters opposed to Ottawa mandating COVID-19 vaccines for truckers have descended on the capital over the weekend, and some say they don’t plan on leaving until their voices are heard.
Coverage for this event has ended.
GoFundMe paused the fundraising page for the Freedom Convoy 2022 after it surpassed $10 million Wednesday.
"This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations. Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors," read a notice at the top of the GoFundMe page, as of Wednesday evening. "Thank you for your patience."
News stories began circulating last week reporting that the GoFundMe page was frozen and organizers needed to outline how the millions of dollars in raised funds would be spent.
Click here to read more
Ottawa's chief of police suggested Wednesday that the Canadian armed forces might have to be called in to handle the lingering protesters in the Canadian capital.
"This is a national issue, not an Ottawa issue," Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly said in a briefing to city councillors. "I am increasingly concerned there is no policing solution to this."
Sloly also said that clearing protesters out of the city also comes with risks, and that police aren't capable of blocking access to the capital and that he would need a force of 50,000 officers to do so. He also said that military aid remains a possibility.
Click here for a full report
The GoFundMe page for the Freedom Convoy 2022 surpassed $10 million Wednesday since having been established on Jan. 14.
News stories began circulating last week reporting that the GoFundMe page was frozen and organizers needed to outline how the millions of dollars in raised funds would be spent.
A GoFundMe spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Monday that organizers did detail how the funds would be spent and that they withdrew $1 million to support their effort.
Ottawa City Councilor of Rideau-Vanier Ward Mathieu Fleury allegedly deleted a Monday tweet appearing to outline a plan to legally target the millions of dollars raised in support of the truckers protesting Canadian vaccine mandates.
Fox News Digital Screen Shot
OTTAWA, Ontario – Truckers at the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa said they will stay put until they are confident the Canadian government will roll back federal vaccine and mask mandates.
The convoy began Jan. 23 and culminated with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators arriving in Ottawa, Canada's capital, on Jan. 29 to protest the mandates. Many truckers were have remained parked in the same places since the weekend in below freezing temperatures, honking their horns and revving their engines.
The massive Canadian "Freedom Convoy" protest against cross-border vaccine mandates is gaining supporters among U.S. congressional Republicans, who say they back the demonstrators' message against coronavirus restrictions.
"The Freedom Convoy embodies how we should stand up for our values in a democracy: peaceful protest, and, when necessary, peaceful noncompliance," Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., said in statement to Fox News. "I'm proud to stand with them."
Screen shot "Fox & Friends"
American truckers are following Canada’s lead and organizing a protest against vaccine mandates.
The U.S. group’s Facebook page, however, was removed early Wednesday in a move that the organizer called "censorship at its finest."The group, titled "Convoy to D.C. 2022," acted as a place for truckers to plan and coordinate their trek from California to Washington, D.C.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney called on protesters to end their demonstration along the Canada-U.S. border in southern Alberta.
Police said Tuesday some people breached a police barrier in order to join the protesters.
A head-on crash was reported as some cars and trucks were reported driving in opposite directions on the same road. An assault was also reported. No one has been arrested and police are still investigating the crash and assault.
"This kind of conduct is totally unacceptable," Kenney said during a news conference. "Without hesitation, I condemn those actions and I call for calm."
A Canadian elected official in Ottawa allegedly deleted a tweet appearing to outline a plan to legally target the millions of dollars raised in support of the "Freedom Convoy" of truckers protesting a vaccine mandate.
"This morning, I have asked the city manager and city solicitor to immediately launch court proceedings targeting the millions of dollars in funds frozen by @GoFundMe so Ottawa taxpayers are not left holding the bag for these protests," Ottawa City Councilor of Rideau-Vanier Ward Mathieu Fleury allegedly tweeted Monday, according to screen shots posted to Twitter.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference on COVID-19 situation in Canada from his residence March 17, 2020 in Ottawa
A Conservative Canadian member of parliament called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to apologize to the protesters he’s accused of spreading "hateful rhetoric," and also issued a reminder to the House of Commons that Trudeau wore "blackface more times than he can remember."
"I do get very defensive of Canadians who are outside today. Patriotic, peace loving Canadians who are called misogynist and racist by the prime minister," Conservative Member of Parliament Candice Bergen said in the House of Commons Monday.
Trudeau took to Twitter late Tuesday to referrence to lawmakers in Canada’s Parliament who, he said, “unanimously condemned the antisemitism, Islamaphobia, anti-Black racism, homophobia, and transphobia that we’ve seen on display in Ottawa over the past number of days.”
He did not mention the “Freedom Convoy” by name in the tweet, but he has criticized the participants for flying “racist flags” and hurling racial insults at citizens in the city.
Trudeau, who has been in isolation due to COVID-19, faced critical responses on Twitter, including users who posted old images of him in 'blackface,' who wrote, "This you?"
Trucks lined up with banners and signs next to the Parliament building during the 4th Day of Trucker's protest against the mandatory vaccine policy imposed on the Canadian truckers returning from USA to avoid a two week quarantine at Parliament Hill in Ottawa-Canada (Photo by Arindam Shivaani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Two people were arrested and there are 13 active investigations tied to the massive trucker demonstration in Ottawa, police said in a statement Tuesday.
A 29-year-old from the city was arrested and charged with “mischief under $5,000,” police said. Another 37-year-old man was accused of carrying a weapon to a public meeting.
Police also said they’ve received eight complaints to a special hotline and three are currently being investigated by a Hate and Bias Crime Unit.
Some demonstrators are accused of urinating on the National War Memorial. One danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A number carried signs and flags with swastikas, the Associated Press reported.
There has also been a reported drop in demonstrators, according to police. The statement said there are currently under 50 people on Parliament Hill and about 200 nearby. -Edmund DeMarche
Live Coverage begins here