As ‘Freedom Convoy’ leaves Ottawa, residents continue looking over their shoulders

As the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' departs downtown Ottawa, residents describe a sense of relief mixed with fear about what could happen next.

The blaring of truck horns, the sounds of parties going into the wee hours of the night, and a city under occupation was Jaime Sadgrove’s reality for three weeks. But, as the so-called “Freedom Convoy” vanishes from downtown Ottawa, Sadgrove is starting to see the spirit of a resilient city trickle back onto the streets.

“Everyone seems like they’re in a better mood. I picked up on that on the street as well, people are smiling at each other, saying ‘Hi’ even more than I think they did before the convoy,” Sadgrove said. “More people are wearing masks outside now, too.”

The protest aimed to have all COVID-19 mandates across the country come to an end and had overtaken streets of downtown Ottawa and Parliament Jan. 28.

The police operation to clear the demonstrators took nearly three days and resulted in hundreds of people being arrested and charged.

On the Monday following the police operation, Sadgrove felt more comfortable leaving home. It was the first time since the start of the blockade that Sadgrove could just walk around the neighbourhood. At times, Sadgrove and some friends drove to different parts of the city where protestors were not present. Sadgrove’s expedition this time was a simple one — going to the grocery store with their partner.

“It was just being able to do those mundane chores and not have to worry about running into protesters or hearing the horns or all that kind of stuff. It felt like having our neighbourhood back,” Sadgrove said.

In Amanda Jetté Knox’s home in Kanata, Ont., Monday was one of the few normal days they’ve had this year. Knox said they would “sleep a little bit better” knowing the convoy had departed the downtown core, adding that all members of their family felt more at ease.

“It felt good to have that quiet return to the city,” they said.