ARRESTS / ARRESTATIONS: 191Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell is planning to introduce legislation to grant asylum to the Freedom Convoy demonstrators in Canada.
Canadian officials have said that they arrested 191 individuals involved in the protest over the weekend.
VEHICLES TOWED / VEHICULES REMORQUÉS: 57
STREETS CLEARED / RUES DÉGAGÉES: As of this morning, Kent Street and Bay Street are mostly clear of vehicles.#ottnews #ottnouvelles #Ottawa pic.twitter.com/yMkT01ficy
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 20, 2022
"Justin Trudeau’s heavy-handed crackdown against peaceful protesters in Canada is not the action of a Western Democracy, but that of an authoritarian regime like Venezuela," Rep. Herrell tweeted with a video of a Tucker Carlson segment on the subject. Just as we provide asylum for political prisoners, we should do the same for truckers who have been subjected to violence, had their property confiscated, and their bank accounts frozen by a government that is quickly becoming the embarrassment of the free world. 2/3
— Rep. Yvette Herrell (@RepHerrell) February 19, 2022
Rep. Herrell continued, "Just as we provide asylum for political prisoners, we should do the same for truckers who have been subjected to violence, had their property confiscated, and their bank accounts frozen by a government that is quickly becoming the embarrassment of the free world."
"I am introducing legislation that would temporarily grant asylum to innocent Canadian protesters who are being persecuted by their own government. We cannot be silent as our neighbors to the north are treated so badly," Herrell concluded. I am introducing legislation that would temporarily grant asylum to innocent Canadian protesters who are being persecuted by their own government. We cannot be silent as our neighbors to the north are treated so badly. 3/3
— Rep. Yvette Herrell (@RepHerrell) February 19, 2022
The truckers had been protesting for three weeks over the Canadian government requiring drivers traveling between the United States and Canada to get vaccinated or undergo quarantine for each trip.
As part of the protest, the drivers blocked several border entry points including the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detroit to Windsor, Ontario.
Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked Canada's Emergencies Act to temporarily suspend the trucker's right to assemble.
Over the weekend, police clashed with reporters and demonstrators as they cracked down on the protest and conducted mass arrests. The government has also frozen the bank accounts and crypto wallets of many of those involved.
Trudeau's actions have drawn condemnation from several politicians globally, including a member of European Parliament, Cristian Terheș, of Romania. Romanian MEP @CristianTerhes absolutely mops the floor with PM @JustinTrudeau in Brussels this week over how he's handling the Ottawa #FreedomConvoy2022 protests.
"He's exactly like a tyrant, a dictator. He's like Ceaușescu in Romania," said Terhes. pic.twitter.com/Ox87jL3XJr
— Cosmin Dzsurdzsa (@cosminDZS) February 20, 2022
Terhes blasted Trudeau during a speech before parliament in Brussels.
"The prime minister of Canada, the way he’s behaving right now – he’s exactly like a tyrant, like a dictator. He’s like Ceaușescu in Romania," Terheș said. "If you raise doubts about the vaccines, you’re outcast. What’s the difference between what he does and what happened under The Inquisition? On one side they say well we should not believe in God, but on the other they say believe in science. We don’t have to. Science is not about belief. Science is about measurements, conclusions, hypothesis and arguments."
"I hope this movement for freedom and for rights is spreading all around the world," he continued. "Because at the end of the day, we have to make sure that those elected officials understand that they were elected into those offices for the people. Not to behave like masters of slaves."
