Downtown Ottawa roads, businesses shut down as 'Freedom Convoy' protesters flood Parliament Hill
CTV
Thousands of truckers and supporters are gathering in downtown Ottawa to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures, with the number of vehicles causing total gridlock in the city's core.
The ‘Freedom Convoy’ demonstrators rallied against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions, with no word on what will happen next or how long they are planning to stay.
The number of vehicles and people converging on the area around Parliament Hill caused total gridlock in the city's core, closing roads and forcing a downtown mall to close early for the day.
Crowds began to form on Parliament Hill around 9 a.m. Saturday and grew significantly throughout the morning. By mid-afternoon, the sheer number of trucks and other vehicles driving downtown to join them caused officials to warn people that downtown Ottawa has no more room.
"Streets in the downtown core are closed due to gridlock," the city tweeted. "There is no more room for vehicles, except for first responders. Please avoid the area."
