Canadian truckers: Police move in on protesters blocking Ambassador Bridge: LIVE UPDATES
Dozens of police moved in on an ongoing trucker protest at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario, Saturday morning.
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Protesters gather at the Buffalo Peace Bridge near the U.S and Canada border.
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In a tweet, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that New York State is prepared to address any potential disruptions coming from the 'Freedom Convoy' protest.
"Today I visited the interagency command center in Buffalo to ensure we're prepared for any impacts from protests near the Canadian border. We are ready to address any potential travel & commerce disruptions, and also ensure we can protect everyone’s right to peaceful protest." Hochul said.
Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, has frozen the assets of two bank accounts that received more than a million dollars in donations meant to go to Canadian truckers who are protesting the country's COVID-19 restrictions, according to a Reuters report.
TD Bank asked a Canadian court Friday to give them the ability to empty the two accounts, both of which received donations from a now-shuttered GoFundMe fundraiser, the report noted. TD Bank told the court that they would return the money to individuals "who have requested refunds but whose entitlement to a refund cannot be determined by TD," or send the money to intended recipients.
GoFundMe removed a fundraising campaign for the "Freedom Convoy" last week, after the campaign had already raised around $10 million. A similar campaign cropped up on an independent crowdfunding site, GiveSendGo, and raised more than $8 million.
An Ontario court froze GiveSendGo's access to those funds on Thursday.
Fox News' Jon Brown contributed to this report.
Police line up in preparation to enforce an injunction against a demonstration which has blocked traffic across the Ambassador Bridge by protesters against COVID-19 restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. Canadian police have moved in to remove protesters who have disrupted Canada-US trade at the major bridge border crossing. (Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press via AP)
Windsor police moved in on "Freedom Convoy" demonstrators throttling the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, Saturday morning, but some demonstrators told Fox 2 News that they plan to continue demonstrating and that they will remain peaceful, even though officials are now threatening arrest.
Some demonstrators, who remained on the bridge overnight despite an emergency order demanding they reopen the bridge and allow traffic to pass, were seen clearing camps as police amassed on the Windsor side of the border. Others drove off the bridge, obeying law enforcement's demand that they move their vehicles.
Around 11 a.m. local time, Windsor police noted, on Twitter, that they could begin making arrests.
"Enforcement continuing, individuals who are located within the demonstration area are subject to arrest," the Windsor police wrote. "People are advised to immediately vacate the area."
Several demonstrators, though, told Fox 2, that they plan to stay, and pledged to continue demonstrating peacefully against Canada's COVID-19 restrictions.
"We're staying here for our rights, we're not just walking out of here after this," one protester said. "We've gone around and policed ourselves. We've said there's no way anybody intends to get violent."
The "Freedom Convoy" protests have snarled traffic at three border crossings and copy-cat protests are now taking place abroad. Ontario Premiere Doug Ford issued an emergency order, Friday, demanding that protesters reopen the Ambassador Bridge, one of the busiest trade routes between Canada and the United States.
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
A man walks though tear gas on the Place Charles De Gaulle (Place de l'Etoile) in Paris on Feb. 12, 2022 as convoys of protesters so called "Convoi de la Liberte" arrived in the French capital. Thousands of protesters in convoys, inspired by Canadian truckers paralyzing border traffic with the U.S., were heading to Paris from across France on Feb. 11, with some hoping to blockade the capital in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions despite police warnings to back off. (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)
A French "Freedom Convoy" inspired by Canadian trucker protests moved into Paris on Saturday, snarling traffic in an effort to gain the attention of French officials and end COVID-19 related restrictions in the French capital city.
Paris police confronted the convoy at the Arc de Triomphe monument, firing tear gas at protesters who exited stopped vehicles and climbed on to the hoods and roofs of cars parked in the roundabout surrounding the monument.
French police, aware of the coming convoy, set up checkpoints around Paris. Officials said that they stopped dozens of vehicles entering the city and handed out 300 tickets. Some drivers, however, managed to skirt police checkpoints and enter central Paris.
In addition to the "Freedom Convoy," French officials expect at least two marches against COVID-19 restrictions to take place in Paris on Saturday afternoon.
Police in Ontario, Canada, moved in early Saturday to end a multi-day protest on the city's Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, and is one of the nation's busiest trade routes. Truckers had snarled traffic on the bridge for several days.
On Friday, Ontario Premiere Doug Ford declared a state of emergency and demanded that protesters leave the bridge. Several dozen protesters remained on the bridge overnight between Friday and Saturday, but most left peacefully Saturday morning at the direction of Windsor police.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Protesters sing the Canadian national anthem prior to police action to enforce an injunction against a demonstration which has blocked traffic across the Ambassador Bridge by protesters against COVID-19 restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Dozens of police moved in on an ongoing trucker protest at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario, Saturday morning, appearing to follow through on threats made by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to clear the demonstration.
Police, wearing yellow safety vests, moved into place around 8:45 a.m. local time, according to CBC News, directing protesters to clear the bridge. CBC reporters also noted that police brought several armored vehicles and that law enforcement had formed a blockade.
Windsor police announced on Twitter that they have "commenced enforcement" of a court order demanding that the convoy leave the Ambassador Bridge.
"The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge," the department noted on social media. 'We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully. Commuters are still being asked to avoid the areas affected by the demonstrations at this time."
A small number of Anti-vaccine mandate protestors keep watch overnight at their barricade in front of the Ambassador Bridge border crossing, in Windsor, Ontario on Saturday February 12, 2022. - Truckers snarling a key bridge between Canada and the United States in protest at Covid rules were ordered by a judge to leave January 11, 2022 night, setting up a potential showdown two weeks into the snowballing protest movement. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
Truckers protesting vaccine mandates in Canada remained defiant overnight Friday in the face of a court order and an emergency declaration telling them to leave the Ambassador Bride connecting Ontario to Michigan.
Around 100 protesters remained early Saturday after law enforcement failed to take action, according to CBC News.
"Do you think I care? Do you think I care about a fine?" one protester said. "I'm going to pay a fine? No. You think I care about their mandates? No. This needs to end."
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said Friday the government wants to see the protesters leave voluntarily but steps will be taken to have them removed if they refuse.
Video by local journalists in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning made it appear to be mostly empty of protesters, although it only showed portions of the entrance to the bridge.
Windsor, Ontario, Mayor Drew Dilkens said in a statement Friday he was "disappointed" an injunction had to be sought to get protesters' "illegal occupation" of the Ambassador Bridge to move, according to FOX 2 of Detroit.
"I remain hopeful for a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the current blockade," he said. "Local, regional and national law enforcement will collaborate and coordinate how best to respond to this legal ruling and seek to re-open the Ambassador Bridge. No operational details will be disclosed, to ensure the safety and security of all involved."
He added, that the "ongoing occupation is endangering the economic health of our region, Province and Country."
He said, however, he understood many of the protesters feel "left behind" and that there was a lot of "healing to do emerging from this public health nightmare. Personally, I’m hopeful that this healing can begin tonight."
Despite the injunction and a midnight deadline set by an Ottawa state of emergency declaration, the protesters haven't left.
Comedian Bill Maher defended the protesters on his show Friday, saying they're not wrong to be "p---ed."
"There is this idea, and it's not wrong, that some people are staying home in their Lululemons and other people can afford to, like, wait out and get a free vacation and money from the government, and other people can't. And they're p---ed off- the people who can't," he said.
Protesters block access to the Ambassador Bridge during a demonstration in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. The premier of Canada's biggest province declared a state of emergency, warning protesters who are blocking a key border crossing and causing gridlock in the Canadian capital that they face severe consequences if they don't leave. Photographer: Galit Rodan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Canadian truckers protesting vaccine mandates remained at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit to Windosr, Ottawa, Canada, early Saturday after both a 7 p.m. court and midnight deadline from Ottawa police where a state of emergency was declared.
The "Freedom Convoy" has remained at the bridge for five days, causing shortages of auto parts that have forced General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Honda to close plants or cancel shifts.
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