As the “Freedom Convoy” protests continue in Ottawa, Canada, for the third weekend, it appears that counter-protests have been growing.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported that “Counter protests began on Saturday, with hundreds marching through Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood”.
Protests “continued Sunday morning as a group of people blocked a major intersection to prevent a number of vehicles from joining the main protest downtown”.
Around 9 a.m. on Sunday, approximately 20 residents walked into the intersection at Bank Street and Riverside Drive. The number grew to 200 by noon and the counter-protesters marched through the street with signs.
Some signs read “Go Home Truckers,” “Truck Off,” “Go Home False Patriots,” and “Freedom From Convoy Bullies”.
CBC reported that “500 people also gathered Saturday in Lansdowne Park” to “rally against the trucks and other vehicles that have been occupying the downtown”.
A counter-protester, Greg Morrow, said “We had to do something to show that we’re not happy with how our city has been completely let down, by the police, by the city administration, by the province. It’s shocking”.
Another counter-protester, Gaia Chernushenko, told Ottawa Citizen “We have to stand up for our community. We have to show solidarity with the people of Centretown who are going through hell right now”.
While some peacefully protested the Freedom Convoy and truckers in Ottawa, others carried signs reading “Kill The Anti Vacs” and called protesters “Nazis”.
Lory Picheca, of Ottawa, told Ottawa Citizen “They’re not truckers, they’re occupiers”.
Andy Ngô shared a video on Twitter of counter-protesters yelling to end the “fascist occupation of Ottawa”. They were also heard yelling “No more Nazis!”