Mounties seize guns and arrest 11 protesters at border blockade in Alberta

CBC News

Alberta RCMP have arrested 11 people after searching three trailers and finding weapons at a protest against pandemic restrictions near the main U.S. border crossing in southern Alberta.

Mounties said in a release Monday that they became aware of a small organized group within the larger protest at Coutts.

They say they had information that the group had access to a cache of firearms and ammunition. Officers seized long guns, handguns, multiple sets of body armour, a machete, a large quantity of ammunition and high-capacity firearm magazines.

The protest by people opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates has impeded or outright blocked access to the normally busy border crossing for two weeks.

Speaking at an unrelated event Monday in Calgary, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the successful police operation now clears the way for authorities to proceed with further enforcement without fear of provoking violence.

“Now that the RCMP has successfully resolved this potential threat, they will proceed, I’m informed, with enforcement against others who are involved in the blockade,” he said.

Kenney also said the provincial government has procured enough heavy equipment and people to operate it to assist the Mounties in removing commercial vehicles blocking the highway.

RCMP say a large farm tractor and a semi truck attempted to ram a police vehicle on Sunday evening, providing “an example of the militant mindset of a small segment of the protest,” the release said.

Officers were able to get out of the way and avoid a collision.

The driver of the tractor was identified and officers are working to locate him and arrest him, RCMP said.

One of the organizers of the truck convoy blockade, Marco Van Huigenbos, says protesters at the border are being peaceful.

He denies there were any threatening comments or actions that would prompt the arrests.

“Many, many videos were rolling. Many guys were standing around. I have not seen evidence that that is in fact correct. I feel like they have other motives,” he said.

Police say a small organized group within the protest was said to have a “willingness to use force against the police if any attempts were made to disrupt the blockade.”

On the weekend, Mounties disabled three excavators they believe were on their way to the border blockade.

Cpl. Troy Savinkoff says police intercepted the heavy equipment on the highway north of the protest, and he says officers told them to turn back.

He says they did, but the excavators then parked on the side of the road and police suspected they planned to continue on to the protest.

Savinkoff says he doesn’t know what police did to disable the vehicles.

He says police issued dozens of tickets Sunday to vehicles involved in the protest, most of which he says were issued under the province’s Traffic Safety Act and other laws relating to road safety.

The Canada Border Services Agency said Saturday that services at the busy crossing were suspended, and Savinkoff said the status was the same on Sunday.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/coutts-protest-blockade-arrests-rcmp-monday-1.6351112

Jim

7 thoughts on “Mounties seize guns and arrest 11 protesters at border blockade in Alberta

    1. So Canadians, honk louder, pick up more litter, pay your fines & praise the police some more or finally wake up fully & realize this is a REAL war?!

  1. CBC TELL LIE VISION. I’ll be seeking out the reports in alternative media to find out what really happened. CBC has been lying about everything they have used to push the tyranny on us. You know, even if it didn’t happen, and CBC says it happened, it HAPPENED!

  2. So since alot of these Trucker could cross the border back and forth. Would this classify them as INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST’s!!!????? FCKNG ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER!!!!!!!!! Bill of Rights Baby 🙂 !!!!!!!!! YOU MAY MAKE A STAND ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY>> AND I BET YOU WIN!!!!! FIRE SMOKE HOT LEAD!!!!!!!!

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