United States anti-vaccination groups are allegedly conducting efforts to fuel protests in Canada opposing vaccine mandates, says a former American diplomat.
The situation also comes as GoFundMe took down a funding page that American groups set up to support Canadian truckers and other residents who participated in protests against the country's vaccine mandates.
Weeks-Long Protests
A former U.S. ambassador to Canada under President Barack Obama, Bruce Heyman, posted a message on Twitter saying that there was no situation where any American group should fund disruptive activities in Canada. He wondered why more Republicans were worried about the situation in Canada than they were with Russia's activities in Ukraine.
Canadian residents have participated in various protests across several cities in the country opposing vaccine mandates. The demonstration came as a show of solidarity with a week-long trucker protest in Ottawa, Canada's capital. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Police Services Board Chairwoman Diane Deans called it an occupation, saying it should end.
Deans said that the group was a threat to the country's democracy and that protests in Ottawa were a problem much bigger than what meets the eye. They said that the incident was a nationwide problem and called it an insurrection, as per USA Today.
Additionally, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted that it was a fraud for GoFundMe to continue to allow more than $9 million in donations to be used to support the protests conducting chaotic demonstrations. The official said he would be cooperating with Attorney General Ashley Moody to investigate the issue and give donors a refund.
The Freedom Convoy that involved hundreds of truckers in Ottawa was a massive movement against Canada's vaccine mandates. However, it was transformed into a rallying point against the nation's public health protocols.
Read Also : Thousands Join Trucker Protests Across Canada As Calls To Lift Government Covid-19 Restrictions Intensify
Aljazeera reported that the city of Ottawa had been shut down for more than a week due to the protesters' actions, with some people waving Confederate or Nazi flags. Some have also expressed their desire to dissolve Canada's federal government.
American Support
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency on Sunday in response to the ongoing protests against the country's vaccine mandates. The official said that his declaration highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government.
The process would allow the city to get more power around procurement and delivering services across the region. The situation could allow authorities to purchase equipment that frontline workers and first responders desperately need.
The city's police chief called the protests in Ottawa a "siege" after thousands of demonstrators continued to blare horns, cause traffic disruptions, and harass locals. The situation also comes as former United States President Donald Trump called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a "far-left lunatic."
The Republican businessman also claimed that Trudeau had caused the destruction of Canada with his insane COVID mandates. Furthermore, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon posted a message on Twitter saying that the protests were a worthy cause. During an interview, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said that a government did not have the right to force residents to comply with arbitrary mandates, The Washington Post reported.
Related Article: Canadian Prime Minister Chased Away From Capital Amid Criticisms of Sweeping Vaccine Mandates
