Emergencies Act inquiry to hear from ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest organizers this week
It was a scene of chaos and confusion in the upper tiers of the police service and local government when a convoy of big rigs and protesters arrived in Ottawa to demand an end to pandemic restrictions last winter.
The inquiry also heard about the plight of the capital’s downtown residents, who recounted their suffering as lawlessness and around-the-clock blaring truck horns took over their community, and businesses that were forced to shut down.Slated to appear this week are witnesses who can shed light on the conception of the “Freedom Convoy” movement, which by all accounts to date appears to have been started by two truck drivers and a TikTok video, and how it escalated over time.
Keith Wilson, a lawyer representing a number of key convoy organizers, said before the inquiry that his clients are eager to talk about what was happening, and why they were in Ottawa in the first place. The protest quickly evolved into what police have deemed an “occupation,” as protesters blocked traffic and set up camps in city streets. They blared horns, shouting cries of “freedom,” and refused to leave until their demands were met.