Thousands across Canada join truckers protesting COVID curbs

Thousands of people opposed to vaccine mandates have rallied in cities across Canada_ as the mostly peaceful but noisy protests against COVID-19 restrictions spread from the national capital.

About 5_000 people demonstrated in Ottawa_ police said on Saturday_ while hundreds more gathered in Toronto_ Canada s biggest city_ as well as in Quebec City_ Fredericton and Winnipeg.

 We re all sick and tired of the mandates_ of the intimidation_ of living in one big prison_ Robert_ a Toronto protester who did not give his last name_ told the Reuters news agency.

 We just want to go back to normal without having to take into our veins the poison which they call vaccines.

The  Freedom Convoy began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau s government  though it is responsible for few of the measures_ most of which were put in place by provincial governments.

For eight days now_ protesters have shut down Ottawa s downtown core.

Police say the well-organised blockade has relied partly on funding from sympathizers in the United States.

On Saturday_ demonstrators huddled around campfires in bone-chilling temperatures and erected portable saunas and bouncy castles for kids outside the parliament while waving Canadian flags and shouting anti-government slogans.