Border blockade in Alberta begins to wind down
CBC
The RCMP says some vehicles have left the blockade near the Coutts border crossing in Alberta.
Premier Jason Kenney said Monday that the Mounties informed him they will begin to clear the blockade after an early morning raid saw police seize weapons, ammunition and body armour, and make arrests.
In light of those arrests, Marco Van Huigenbos, one of the organizers of the protest, said a decision was reached to roll out from Coutts on Tuesday morning.
"We were infiltrated by an extreme element … Our objective was to be here peacefully," he said. "To keep that message going, we want to peacefully leave Coutts and return to our families."
The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed to CBC News that as of about 7:40 a.m. on Tuesday, the Coutts port of entry remains closed.
The protest by people opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates has impeded or outright blocked access to the normally busy border crossing for two weeks.
Police have now arrested a total of 13 people — 11 in an initial pre-dawn raid on Monday on three trailers, plus two more later that day.
One man was arrested on the highway as he was en route to the protest site. Police say they seized two weapons from his vehicle. He remains in custody.
In a second incident, around 12:45 p.m., a semi truck approached an RCMP check stop north of Milk River. RCMP say the driver sped up and drove toward police but swerved at the last moment and hit some traffic cones that were on the roadway.
The driver was arrested close to the scene and faces several Criminal Code charges.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he is invoking the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada's history to give the federal government temporary powers to handle ongoing blockades and protests against pandemic restrictions.
The unprecedented deployment of the act gives police more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies constitute illegal and dangerous activities, such as blockades and occupations, he said.
Trudeau said the act also will enable the RCMP to enforce municipal bylaws and provincial offences where required.
Premier Jason Kenney said Monday he doesn't believe invoking the act is necessary in Alberta.
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