Hundreds turned out in 91原创 Saturday morning to show support for the trucker convoy that arrived in Ottawa to demonstrate against vaccine mandates.
There were dozens of semi trailer trucks, and many more smaller trucks and cars at the Jan. 29 91原创 event, most waving Canadian flags and bearing signs calling for an end to vaccine restrictions.
Several signs identified participants as members of 鈥渁 fringe minority with unacceptable views,鈥� a reference to critical comments by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a Wednesday press conference where he described the convoy protesters as a 鈥渟mall fringe minority of people鈥� who hold 鈥渦nacceptable views鈥� that don鈥檛 represent views of most Canadians.
Other signs said 鈥渕andate freedom,鈥� God keep us glorious and free,鈥� and 鈥渕andate freedom for all.鈥�
One of the big rig drivers, Maple Ridge resident Jason Bradbury, told the 91原创 Advance Times the aim was 鈥渢o restore freedom back to Canada.鈥�
鈥淲e need to have our governments step back, stop mandating what we put into our body, what we put over our faces, how many people come into our stores [and] over whether or not you can have a job if you鈥檙e vaccinated or not,鈥� Bradbury said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 complete overreach, and it has to stop.鈥�
Bradbury declined to say if he was vaccinated, calling it a 鈥減rivate matter between me and my doctor.鈥�
READ ALSO: Chilliwack trucker organizes Saturday鈥檚 trucker convoy support rally which starts in 91原创
Event organizer Stacey Midgely, a trucker from Chilliwack, said because he is unvaccinated, he can鈥檛 continue to do long-haul trucking under new rules that require cross-border drivers to be vaccinated.
鈥淚 crossed the border for the last time last night [Thursday],鈥� Midgely said.
Midgely said every trucker should refuse to work until Canada does away with COVID mandates.
鈥淲e [truckers] have the power to shut down this entire country right now,鈥� he commented.
Midgley said people don鈥檛 have to agree with those taking part in the convoy, but they are fighting for everyone鈥檚 rights.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about everybody鈥檚 freedom, all mandates for everybody, even those who are against us,鈥� he said.
The local convoy left their marshaling area, a parking lot in North 91原创 at 200th Street and 91A Avenue, at 10 a.m..
It took about an hour for all the vehicles to exit.
They were headed for Vancouver鈥檚 downtown with plans to return on Hwy. 1 through to the Lickman Road truck stop in Chilliwack.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Crowd of supporters greets anti-vaccine-mandate truck convoy in Aldergrove
More images from the 91原创 event can viewed at the .
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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