Protesters dig in at Ambassador Bridge blockade after injunction deadline passes

When Chris Mayville heard that an injunction had been granted to clear out the protesters taking part in a blockade at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, he immediately struck an angry and defiant tone.

"Bring it," Mayville said. "Do you think I care? Do you think I care about a fine? I'm going to pay a fine? No. You think I care about their mandates? No. This needs to end.

"I'm going to stay until the arrests."

It was a sentiment shared by others blocking the bridge, where protests against COVID-19 public health restrictions have been snarling cross-border traffic since Monday. Some said they were determined to dig in and continue the blockade, whether or not they were confronted by law enforcement.

The protesters were bracing for police to enforce the injunction when it came into effect at 7 p.m. ET. But as the deadline passed and no police action was initiated, the crowd appeared to grow in size, jubilance and defiance. And by early Saturday morning, around 100 protesters remained.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told CBC News that the goal is to have the protesters leave voluntarily, "but if they refuse to leave, steps will have to be taken to remove them."

John Wiebe, a Kitchener truck driver whose rig was encamped near the intersection at the main protest point at the bridge, said he didn't know what he would do if police told him to leave. 

But he said he believed any potential legal consequences could be worth it.

"If all these mandates get lifted, sure, throw some of us in prison," he said.

The protest is part of a growing number of truck convoy demonstrations that began in Ottawa and have since spread to other cities. The protesters say they want governments to lift vaccine mandates and other public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rick Armstrong said he would have no problem with being given a ticket or fine by police and instead would view it as a badge of honour.

"I will hang it on my wall with pride. I will be able to show it to my granddaughter and say where [was I] on this day, I was here — fighting for your freedoms," he said.

"I will ask the officer if they're kind enough to write me a ticket, 'What are [you] going to say to [your] children?'"

The injunction was sought by several auto groups including the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, which has argued the protest blocking traffic along the major U.S.-Canada trade route is costing the sector tens of millions of dollars each day.