Canada's CDS 'sickened' over Capitol Hill-like protests at Ottawa's National War Memorial

In view of anti-vaccination protests in Canada, on Sunday its Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre expressed his dissent from the ongoing demonstrations. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, he raised strong objections to protestors at the National War Memorial and underscored the sentiments of the soldiers of the Canadian Army who died 'for rights, including free speech, but not this'. 

General Eyre shared, "I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial. Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this. Those involved should hang their heads in shame."

Anti-vaccine mandate protests in Canada

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday left Ottawa along with his family to a "secret location" after security concerns sparked over intensifying anti-vaccine mandate protests in the capital city, CBC News reported. The decision to evacuate the prime ministerial residence came after Canadian Parliament's Seargent-at-Arms warned that demonstrators could show up at official homes. The PM's office has refused to comment on the relocation of Trudeau, citing security reasons.

Anti-vaccine mandate protests in support of cross-border truckers began on Saturday when Parliamentary Protective Service estimated an amassment of nearly 10,000 demonstrators in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa. In addition, a convoy of truckers against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate descended to Ottawa, sparking an imminent violent turn of events.

While Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sholy on Wednesday said that he has been in contact with protest leaders, who affirmed peaceful demonstrations, Deputy Chief Steve Bell raised concerns about the presence of "parallel groups" that Canadian intelligence speculated.

It is pertinent to mention that Canadians launched protests against the vaccine mandate after the government launched a new requirement that truckers entering Canada have to be fully immunised as of January 15. This came after the US imposed an identical mandate on truckers entering the country.

However, as per the Canadian Trucking Alliance estimate, about 15% of truckers in Canada i.e. about 16,000 are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Canadian opposition of Conservative lawmakers has supported the convoy, saying that the vaccine mandate has created a bottleneck for supply-chain, leaving store shelves empty in the country.