Blockade of the Ambassador Bridge: authorities ask for help from Ottawa and Ontario

The mayor and the police of Windsor have called for the help of Ottawa and the Ontario government to control the convoy which has been blocking for three days the Ambassador Bridge linking the city to that of Detroit, in the United States.

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While the City’s Mayor, Drew Dilkens, compared the situation to the siege that has been going on for almost two weeks in Ottawa, he nevertheless recalled that the blockade at the bridge has a “significant impact on the busiest national border crossing in North America.”

He said at a press briefing on Wednesday that additional resources had been requested from federal and provincial officials.

“While we are optimistic that this situation can be resolved in the short term, we must prepare for a prolonged protest and have requested that additional personnel be deployed to Windsor to support the hard-working members of our police service” , he said.

The mayor also pointed out that many residents have demanded that the demonstrators be “forced out” in order to end the blockade.

“While it may be gratifying for some to see the forced eviction of protesters, such action may escalate the situation and certainly lead to other people coming here and adding to the protest, and we don’t want to risk a additional conflict”, he however tempered.

Between 50 to 70 vehicles and around 100 protesters are believed to be involved in the rally, according to Windsor Police Chief Pam Mizuno.

“Open those roads. Open those bridges. Let people go back to their lives. Let me be very clear. The Ambassador Bridge is a vital artery for our country and a vital artery in our supply chain. It is essential to the functioning of our economy and to the service of all Canadians. The blockade must end before more damage occurs,” Civil Protection Minister Bill Blair told an afternoon press briefing.

“The 4,000 trucks a day that normally enter Canada through this bridge have been stopped. The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest crossing point in Canada, with trade in goods worth more than $350 million a day,” said Transport Minister Omar Alghabar.