Thread by @MarcCossette

After spending Friday and Saturday covering the "freedom" convoy protests, some thoughts and observations.

🧵A thread.

For days now, Ottawa’s sleepy downtown core has been drowned out by incessant honking, revving engines, and jubilant cries of “Freedom!” and “Fuck Trudeau!”

Diesel fumes and stale cigar smoke hung in the air over Parliament Hill, just across the columns of semi trucks that have choked Wellington Street for days now — parked illegally, despite the organizers’ laughable insistence that they are “always lawful.”

Fed up with public health measures, thousands massed downtown, united by their shared grievances. They’re frustrated and angered by the choices that most Canadians and their elected governments have made to get us through this pandemic.

Over the weekend, I spoke with dozens of protesters from all over the country — from Bedford, Nova Scotia to Grand-Remous, Quebec, from Orangeville, Ontario to Calgary. Most of those conversations were civil.

Those protesters told me they were tired of having the pandemic and public health measures prevent them from living their lives as they’d like. Of course, we’re all tired of this, but that doesn’t matter to them.

As this protest has laid bare, some people aren’t willing to make any more sacrifices, even if, say, something as simple as wearing a mask might help keep someone in your family or your community safe.

Of all the protests I’ve covered, this is by far the one that’s felt the most like a party: a giant middle finger to the prime minister and public health measures — nevermind that most of those rules have been put in place by provincial and municipal governments.

The protesters were jubilant, but they were seething and disrespectful too. A sizeable group of them — if not most — think their frustration gives them licence to harass and intimidate anyone abiding by the public health that we as as society has set for ourselves.

Protesters harassed and intimidated service workers. They repeatedly desecrated the National War Memorial. They insulted me and my colleagues for wearing masks, called us liars, told us to leave.

Nearly everyone I spoke with was highly distrusting of me and my media colleagues. It’s easier to shout “Fake news!” and “Fuck the media!” than to calmly approach a journalist to voice concerns with our coverage. Thankfully, a handful took the latter approach. I’m glad they did.

Some felt their views weren’t getting enough airtime. I noted that their voices, grievances — and yes, their actions, too — have dominated our coverage for the better part of a week.

Many of the protesters seemed convinced that journalists are “controlled” by “corporate” overlords or that we self-censor our reporting.

In the end, I could only assure them that my colleagues and I do our utmost every day to record the first draft of history as accurately and as best we can, but I’m under no illusion that those assurances satisfied them.

This pandemic has been polarizing. That divide was on full display this weekend. But it’s worth remembering just how many people stand on either side of that divide. The vast majority of Canadians are fully vaccinated, and that number continues to grow.

Far more concerning are the extremists leading this protest and their supporters among the crowd. The Nazi and Confederate flags were flown in Ottawa this weekend. The flag of the Three Percenters, a listed terrorist entity, was draped over the hood of a truck parked by the Hill.

These are people who see this protest as a catalyst, one that will accelerate the realization of their sinister vision for our country. We — and our elected representatives — would do well to confront that threat with clear-eyed resolve, rather than dismiss it as exaggerated.

In the meantime, a hardcore group of protesters insist they’re not going anywhere until all mandates are repealed, even if that means usurping power from all levels of government. And at this point, it’s anyone’s guess what happens when their impossible demands aren’t met. -30-