Police, not Truckers, blocked access to Bluewater Bridge: MP Marilyn Gladu
The photo above, taken at the protest and provided immediately to Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu, shows clearly that it is not the Truckers but the police officers blocking access to the Bluewater Bridge on February 6th. Photo: Marilyn Gladu
CLARIFICATION FEBRUARY 9TH: After publication of this post on February 8th, MP Marilyn Gladu was informed it was the OPP and not the Sarnia police blocking access to the Bluewater Bridge. RWN has updated the article to reflect this new information.
(February 9 update) — Sarnia police who claimed it was Truckers blocking access to the Bluewater Bridge were not aware it was the Ontario Provincial Police who blocked access with their cars, says Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu.
“First, I was told that it was the protesters who blocked access with their cars, and then I was sent photos showing it was police,” Gladu told Road Warrior News. “However, it was actually the OPP, not the Sarnia police, I learned later.”
“My contacts who were at the protest immediately sent me photos and video footage to show it was the police, not the Truckers who were blocking border access. Protesters left a lane wide open to allow traffic to pass.”
Gladu spoke directly to the Chief of Police Norm Hanson and advised him, “This rhetoric has to change. It is not the Truckers blocking the border.”
Gladu notes that she had a copy of the protesters’ original agenda, and that they had planned to join the Convoy in Ottawa but were stopped and turned back by police as they got near the city. “So, they decided to drive back to the bridges at Sarnia and Windsor,” she says.
While Gladu points out that the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit announced it was back open on February 8th, “This is very serious. I just want to be sure that people understand we need to keep the peaceful protest. But it’s unlawful to block the roads and the border. This is going to escalate. I don’t know where this will end.”
American President Joe Biden has the leverage to force Justin Trudeau to drop the border mandates, she points out: “That may be the direction that this will go because the US is opening up. 39 states are open. These mandates are being challenged, because they don’t work. People are seeing countries like the UK, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, they’re all opening. It’s time to learn to live with COVID and move on.”
3:30pm February 8th update: RWN has contacted Sarnia police to ask for Chief Hanson’s comment. We will include that information if it is provided.
