US Faces Its Own 'Ottawa Moment' as Trucker Convoy Closes In on DC
The Canadian government undertook a shocking power grab to quell peaceful protests that paralyzed its capital of Ottawa, a situation that could see itself mirrored as an entire convoy of American demonstrators head to Washington, D.C., to make their voices heard.
Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the country’s Emergencies Act to shut down an alliance of truckers and everyday Canadians who descended on the capital to sound off against harsh COVID mandates.
After the protest shut down parts of the city and some crossings into the United States, a combined effort from Trudeau, police and financial institutions utterly punished those who stood up for their freedom. But while the Canadian Freedom Convoy was seemingly smashed, American truckers’ own “Ottawa moment” is just getting started.
The People’s Convoy, an American protest in the same vein as the one from freedom-loving Canucks, now has more than 1,000 truckers descending on Washington, D.C. in a route that stretches from coast to coast.
Set to leave from Adelanto, Calif., the convoy will arrive in the D.C. area on March 5.
Unfortunately, these Americans looking to speak their mind will be met with military personnel and law enforcement. Hundreds of D.C. National Guard troops have been authorized to meet the convoy, with hundreds more being drawn from forces outside of the city.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol police will also be out in full force to control traffic and protesters.
To set the dramatic scene even more, the U.S. Capitol Building is also becoming unrecognizable as the seat of an open and free government, instead looking more like a fortress as security barriers go up.
With the massive number of vehicles trucking to D.C. however, it’s clear that leadership will soon be looking at city roads full of upset protesters.
If truckers and their allies refuse to leave the capitol, someone in President Joe Biden’s administration or overseeing the official response may feel pressured to take action.
The real question remains: How far will Biden go to silence these protesters?
Trudeau didn’t march troops in to crack skulls, although his forces seem to be responsible for a gross portion of the injuries being reported.
The prime minister’s aggressive attitude toward his own critics empowered those as far down the power ladder as code enforcement officers to threaten truckers, their children and their pets.
And Canadian leaders, as should be expected, don’t seem keen on depriving themselves of this temporary power just yet.
According to Al Jazeera, Ottawa residents are still dealing with a heavy police presence that isn’t going away quickly enough. Fences and police patrols still dominate parts of the city, while Trudeau will hold “emergency” powers until mid-March.
This might sound like a familiar play to Americans: D.C. elites kept security fences and military presence in the city for months after the 2021 Jan. 6 Capitol incursion.
While government was able to silence and crush criticism in Canada, things work a little differently south of their border.
As American truckers drive to their own “Ottawa moment” in Washington, D.C., will they be able to weather the machinations of a power-hungry American elite?
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