Truckers who have blockaded downtown Ottawa for nearly three weeks have ignored repeated warnings that they could face steep fines and possible arrest as protesters defied a growing police presence in the Canadian capital.
Officers had warned of an impending crackdown Thursday, as busloads of police reinforcements arrived in the city, and work crews took the rare step of erecting metal fences outside the senate and parliament. But despite heavy rain, supporters flocked to Parliament Hill, and the mood of imminent confrontation receded.
“I ain’t going anywhere,” said Pat King, one of protest organizers. “I haven’t overstayed my welcome. My taxes paid for me to be here.” Amid growing criticism of police tactics, the city’s deputy police chief had declared his intention to break up the protest and take back Ottawa’s downtown “in the coming days”.
“We’ve been bolstering our resources, developing clear plans, and preparing to take action. The action is imminent,” Bell told reporters. “To those engaged in the unlawful protests – if you want to leave under your own terms, now is the time to do it,” Bell said. “It’s time to go.
Your time in our city has come to an end and you must leave.” Bell’s comments added to stark police warnings that have drawn defiance by protesters, who honked their horns in unison earlier on Thursday in violation of a court order. Others shrugged off the warnings and soaked in a portable hot tub set up near government buildings. “I ain’t going anywhere,” said Pat King, one of the organizers of the protest. “I haven’t overstayed my welcome. My taxes paid for me to be here.”
