WINDSOR, Ontario — After a seven-day stalemate, Canadian police began enforcement actions against protesters and regained control of the Ambassador Bridge on Sunday.
The bridge remains closed, but Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said Sunday it is set to reopen and bring Canada's "national economic crisis" to an end.
"Border crossings will reopen when it is safe to do so and I defer to police and border agencies to make that determination," Dilkens tweeted about 11 a.m. Sunday.
On Sunday, police at the demonstration site near the Ambassador Bridge engaged protesters. Windsor Police Service Chief Pam Mizuno told The Detroit News between 25 and 30 arrests were made over the weekend.
It's unknown if those arrested remain in custody. They face a criminal charge of mischief and it's unclear what fines or sentences they could receive in Canadian courts.
Twelve vehicles were also seized that were in or near the blockade on Huron Church Road, Mizuno said.
Mizuno did not give a time frame of when the bridge would open but said hopefully Sunday.
"We are working as fast as we can to restore traffic flow and re-open the bridge and as soon as we can make that happen, we will," Mizuno said.
She added there's a zero-tolerance policy for any activity in the area.
There have been no injuries to any protesters or officers, said Windsor Police Sgt. Steve Betteridge, who also wouldn't disclose how many officers were involved in the "strong police presence."
Just before noon, chants of “Freedom!” could be heard as demonstrators were cleared out of all areas near the bridge.
In a statement Sunday afternoon, White House Homeland Security adviser Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall said authorities are taking swift action and deterring future blockades.
Sherwood-Randall said based on an update she received the bridge is expected to reopen Sunday as most protesters have been cleared, barriers are being removed and the corridor is being secured.
"Canadian authorities are taking proactive steps to ensure no further unlawful disruption of the flow of people and goods occurs," Sherwood-Randall said in a statement. "Individuals trespassing on property located on the road to the bridge will be cited for trespassing and their vehicles will be towed. Canadian authorities intend to reopen the Ambassador Bridge (Sunday) after completing necessary safety checks. We stand ready to support our Canadian partners wherever useful in order to ensure the restoration of the normal free flow of commerce can resume."
Richard Drouillard, a former Windsor firefighter, stood in support of the truckers Sunday. Drouillard said he lost his job because he didn't want to get vaccinated.
When asked if the ordeal would end soon, Drouillard disagreed, saying, "We have a lot more trucks coming down here right now from Ottawa and Toronto to back us up."
Drouillard, 40, said as a medic, he treated more than 2,000 COVID-19 patients and "every single one went home. The hospitals themselves are made to kill people through their protocols. ... They're killing more of the unvaccinated to keep their narrative going," he believes.
Betteridge wouldn't confirm if there was any credible information that more trucks are on the way.
"Our goal is community safety. That wouldn't change," he said.
Windsor resident Charlene Renaud, who lives near the protest site, said while there are fewer demonstrators than there have been in the last week, the mission remains unchanged.
"I don't care if you want to take 10 shots but it should be your choice," said Renaud, 56. "You shouldn't lose your job for it. It's insane because we live in a free country."
Sunday morning, the Windsor Police Department announced it was stepping up enforcement of a court injunction against the Ambassador Bridge protests.
"Enforcement will continue in the demonstration area and there will be zero tolerance for illegal activity. The public should avoid the area," Windsor police tweeted just before 9 a.m. Sunday.
At about 10:15 a.m. demonstrators and media were ordered to leave the Windsor strip mall at the south side of the Ambassador Bridge or be removed for trespassing. Business owners were asking people to remove their vehicles from the private property.
Canadian police are blocking all streets within view of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor.
Police blocked all streets within view of the bridge and limited media to a sidewalk beside a gas station. About 40 demonstrators were there. Some had wrapped themselves in Canadian flags and held signs that read “No Vax Mandates” and “(explicit) Trudeau.”
Tom Lyons, a retired Windsor firefighter, was among the supporters Sunday morning. Lyons said while he supports the vaccines, he also supports the truckers who are against the mandates.
“I believe that 90% of truckers are vaccinated but they don’t like the idea of the mandates and digital tracking,” said Lyons, 70. “Crazy thing is the truckers drive alone all the time. The old one-size-fits-all doesn’t fit all the time. The protest is just starting to impact trade with the automotive industry and Windsor feeder plants have had to send people home. A good majority of people I talk to support this.”
Earlier, at about 8:15 a.m., Windsor police had tweeted that it was making arrests and towing cars.
Vehicles blocking the bridge were also removed Saturday and police warned that protesters who remained at or near the bridge would face arrest if they did not leave.
At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, nine hours after Canadian police began enforcing the injunction, the two sides seemed to reach a stalemate that continued deep into the evening.
Late Saturday, Windsor police tweeted that it had arrested a 27-year-old male for "a criminal offense in relation to the demonstration. Officers will intervene when necessary to ensure the safety of the public & maintain peace & order."
An Ontario judge granted an injunction Friday against protesters, but crowds remained defiant over the weekend despite it.
The protesters are opposed to a vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country. The United States also has a vaccine requirement for freight truckers delivering goods across the border.
Ontario officials say they will fine protesters blocking the bridge up to $100,000 and sentence them to up to a year in jail. They also will consider taking away the personal or commercial driver's licenses of anyone who defies the orders.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had warned that "everything is on the table" to dissolve the blockade and restart traffic across the vital North American shipping route.
The Ambassador Bridge has been blocked to traffic since Monday evening, when a protest at the Capitol in Ottawa moved to other cities across the country and the trade thoroughfare connecting Canada to Detroit.
Officials have continued to reroute commercial traffic to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, where they say nine commercial lanes are open, and to the Windsor tunnel for smaller passenger traffic.
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