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Canada’s Freedom Convoy is now seeing major victories, with four provinces announcing the end of various Covid mandates. Fake news continues to warn of impending violence. Meanwhile, protesters feed the homeless, set up bouncy castles, play street hockey – and inspire a global movement calling for a return to normal life.

After a fortnight of peaceful protesting, the Freedom Convoy centred in the Canadian capital of Ottawa is beginning to see major victories against Covid mandates. The demonstration was originally launched to challenge vaccine mandates required for truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border.

Today, The Daily Wire reports that four of the country’s provinces have since “announced plans to eliminate or roll back some or all [Covid] measures” — including Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island.

The Propaganda War

The success has come in spite of a fierce propaganda war waged by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, state media, and Ottawa’s mayor and police force.

Trudeau initially characterised the convoy as a “small fringe minority of people … who are holding unacceptable views”. When thousands of trucks and tens of thousands of protesters encircled Parliament Hill, many settling in for the long haul, the Prime Minister resorted to fanciful and unfounded smears, tweeting:

In fact, as independent outlets are at pains to point out, the peaceful, good-natured protesters are predominantly working-class Canadians who are merely calling for the restoration of their Charter rights and a return to normal life. They have promised to go home as soon as mandates are repealed and freedom is restored.

A Far-Right Insurrection?

Among the scant evidence of hate symbols on show in Ottawa was a widely-circulated video of a man waving a Confederate flag, who was quickly driven off by heckling crowds. The lack of welcome from protesters and the man’s concealed identity strongly suggest his intent to stage a false flag event to discredit the demonstration.

Photographs also went viral of a lone actor flying a Nazi flag. But a $6,500 offer for anyone able to confirm the individual’s identity has yielded no leads, and no evidence the person was affiliated with the Freedom Convoy.

Ottawa residents have understandably grown tired of rumbling trucks and honking horns. Nevertheless, the legacy media’s attempts to smear the protest as “sedition”, an “insurrection” and a “threat to democracy” have fallen flat, with only 23 arrests made in two weeks, all in relation to ‘mischief’, resisting arrest, and similar misdemeanours.

Bouncy Castles and Food for the Homeless

Despite repeated forecasts of violence from officials — such as Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly who warned of a “volatile” and “increasingly dangerous” situation — almost no violence has been forthcoming. Protesters have instead used their time to set up bouncy castles, play street hockey and live music, feed the homeless and pick up rubbish from the city’s streets.

Had demonstrators engaged in violence, footage of it would doubtless have circulated globally and immediately undermined their cause. In the absence of this, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson decided to call a state of emergency on claims that the demonstration posed a “serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents”.

The state of emergency gave police the power to seize fuel from truckers. Protesters saw the funny side and had soon adapted by carrying jerry cans en masse through the city — whether full or empty — to confound law enforcement officials. The jerry can has since become a symbol of Canadian dissent.

Renewal of a Global Movement

Historic anti-mandate protests have been taking place worldwide for over 30 weeks, though they have been met by a conspiracy of silence from the corporate press. Canada’s Freedom Convoy marks a turning point in this regard.

Although mainstream reporting on Ottawa has been mostly dishonest, freedom-loving Canadians have re-energised the global movement, sparking similar capital city demonstrations in Australia, New Zealand and the European Union.

The Freedom Convoy has also contributed to a sudden about-turn among Democrat governors in the US who are now racing to repeal mask mandates and other Covid restrictions ahead of the midterm elections.

Disinformation aside, usually unflappable Canadians have inspired the world with their ingenuity, humour and determination. And they’re not done yet.

Image by KRWG (Getty).