Protesters at Manitoba legislature digging in until mandates are fully removed

The blockade at Manitoba’s major Canadian-U.S. border was dismantled Wednesday, but the semi-trucks and protesters blocking off the street outside the Manitoba legislature in downtown Winnipeg say they won’t be pulling out anytime soon.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Emerson border closure has impacted more than $70 million of trade daily.

READ MORE: What were the impacts of Emerson border blockade on Manitoba’s economy?

Sgt. Paul Manaigre with the Manitoba RCMP says no arrests or tickets were issued, calling it a perfect solution to the end of the border protest.

“Being a national issue, we had to take our time,” said Manaigre. “We didn’t want to rush in. That would have made absolutely no sense, just going in perhaps making arrests, issuing tickets. We probably could have had others just taking their place.”

Despite those at the border leaving, protesters at the legislature say they are committed to staying until all mandates are fully removed.

“I won’t stay a minute longer than we have to, but so far it’s been a lot of talk. So we want to see action, we trust our elected officials, but there is still work to do,” said Caleb Brown, the co-organizer of Winnipeg’s protest.

Brown says he doesn’t believe in any sort of violence. Protesters in the Coutts, Alta., border blockade were found to be in possession of guns, body armour, and ammunition, with allegations of conspiring to murder RCMP officers. But Brown says in Winnipeg, truck drivers are openly allowing police to search and inspect all vehicles entering the protest area.

“Every single one of the truck drivers here, and everyone here, said that they would be subject to a voluntary search of their trucks,” said Brown. “You know that’s not something that we’re about, we don’t agree with any sort of violence. We are peaceful and lawful and so we said it would be a peace of mind on everyone’s part, look through the trucks.”

CityNews reached out to police for comment on the protest. An emailed response says the Winnipeg Police Service will not be holding interviews or providing further comments, as this protest is still ongoing.