Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family were moved to an “undisclosed location” in the nation’s capital on Saturday out of security concerns as thousands of protesters gathered outside of parliament in Ottawa, state-owned CBC reported.
Protesters fought cold weather on Saturday to join thousands of truckers who have made headlines and gained the support of anti-mandate activists across the globe, including in the US, as they have made their way into Ottawa, protesting against Trudeau’s Covid measures. Some trucks were emblazoned with messages such as “F**k Trudeau” and “Mandate freedom.”
New Covid regulations require unvaccinated Canadian truck drivers to isolate for 14 days when they re-enter Canada from the US, a move drivers have been saying would have a major negative impact on their industry. Trudeau previously dismissed the protesters as a “fringe minority,” arguing that up to 50,000 truckers that joined the protest were harboring “unacceptable views.”
As many as 10,000 people are expected by the day’s end to be protesting outside the prime minister’s office, according to CBC.