The term “insurrection” has gotten an unprecedented amount of use ever since the events that unfolded at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
It evokes fear of societal instability and conveys a mental image of a rowdy crowd that is hellbent on upheaval.
So, it may come as some surprise that Canadian officials have begun characterizing the peaceful and polite Freedom Convoy that has inspired Canadians from all walks of life to oppose their government’s COVID-19 vaccinations mandate as a “nation-wide insurrection.”
Diane Deans, chair of Ottawa’s police board, referred to the coalition of truckers protesting the vaccine mandate in Canada’s capital as a “threat to our democracy.”
“What we’re seeing is bigger than just a City of Ottawa problem,” she continued, “This is a nation-wide insurrection. This is madness. We need a concrete plan to put an end to this.”
Peter Sloly, the Ottawa police chief, described the Freedom Convoy’s presence in Canada’s capital city as “mindboggling” and an “occupation.”
Police chief Sloly announced on Friday that the police of Ottawa were launching a “surge and contain” strategy to put an end to the peaceful demonstration.
Diana Deans suggested that the government begin to coerce dispersion of the Freedom Convoy. She asked city officials if they would be willing to declare the peacefully assembled truckers “unlawful” and subsequently a “riot” so that the government may begin making mass arrests or pursue a court injunction against the Freedom Convoy.
“We cannot allow this kind of terrorism in our community to continue in this way,” Deans said.
Ottawa’s city councilors even explored the possibility of invoking the National Defense Act in order to curtail the Freedom Convoy. Should the National Defense Act be invoked, the Canadian military would be mobilized to disperse the Freedom Convoy and its supporters.
Despite Canadian officials decrying the peaceful assembly of truckers as “violent,” the only actual act of violence was carried out against supporters of the Freedom Convoy when a 42-year-old man drove his SUV into a crowd of protesters.
A 42yr old male is facing charges after driving through a group of protesters that were part of the Freedom Convoy at the Legislative grounds. 4 adult males were struck.\nhttps://www.winnipeg.ca/police/press/2022/02feb/2022_02_05.stm\u00a0\u2026
— Winnipeg Police (@Winnipeg Police) 1644085606
Interestingly enough, Diane Deans does not condemn or even mention the 2021 burnings of Canadian churches online. Yet, when it comes to blue-collar workers peacefully opposing government-mandated medical procedures, she is swift to decry their mobilization as dangerous.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even decried the Freedom Convoy as being prejudiced against virtually every possible demographic.
Today in the House, Members of Parliament unanimously condemned the antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, homophobia, and transphobia that we\u2019ve seen on display in Ottawa over the past number of days. Together, let\u2019s keep working to make Canada more inclusive.
— Justin Trudeau (@Justin Trudeau) 1643759262
Yet despite this, the men and women who the Canadian government lambast as violent bigots are cleaning up garbage on Canada’s streets, shoveling snow off of sidewalks, and cleaning grime off of national monuments.
Trucker Tuesday! | 2/1/22