CNN calls Freedom Convoy protest 'sedition,' 'threat to democracy'
Ottawa police chief referred to protests as 'insurrection driven by madness'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN joined other media outlets in criticizing the ongoing protests in Canada against vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions.
The "Freedom Convoy" initially began on Jan. 23 when hundreds of big rig trucks left Vancouver, British Columbia to travel to Ottawa, where they arrived on Saturday. There, thousands of Canadians joined the truckers in protesting against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s coronavirus policies.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Support pours in for Canadian truckers protesting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's COVID-19 vaccine mandate (FOX NEWS DIGITAL )
CNN’s "Inside Politics" discussed the protestors, which had entered its second week, on Monday’s episode. Host John King quickly labeled the Freedom Convoy as "a nationwide insurrection."
"The state of emergency in place in Ottawa where the police chief says COVID protests are ‘a nationwide insurrection driven by madness.’ Thousands of Canadians, you see the pictures there, protesting vaccine mandates. It started with the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ led by truckers protesting a new mandate requiring vaccines in order to enter the country," King said.
CNN correspondent Paula Newton followed up comparing the convoy to "sedition" and "a threat to democracy."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"And just think of the language. I know it sounds familiar to you. A threat to democracy. An insurrection, sedition. I want to be clear things have quieted down a bit, but that does not take away from the basic truck in, right, the sit-in that’s going in right in front of the national parliament," Newton said.
She also repeated Trudeau’s criticism of the protests where he condemned the truckers for "hateful rhetoric" and called them a "fringe minority."
"The prime minister Justin Trudeau remains in isolation at an undisclosed location. He and his children had COVID and he’s saying, ‘look, this isn’t about me or the federal government.’ He calls these a fringe minority. John, I also want to point out that sitting senators, at least one sitting governor are supporting these people from the United States. The police chief has a message for them. Don’t. You are supporting unlawful behavior," Newton said.
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Trudeau was previously criticized for his comments condemning the "rhetoric" and "violence" of the Freedom Convoy while cheering and supporting the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots. While dozens of deaths were reported from the BLM protests in 2020, no deaths have yet been reported from Ottawa.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to question during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 6, 2021. REUTERS/Patrick Doyle (Reuters)
Trudeau was also slammed for avoiding the protests, stating on Jan. 30 that he needed to isolate due to contracting COVID-19.
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On Sunday afternoon, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency in response to the ongoing protests. The police also announced plans to arrest anyone attempting to bring gasoline or other supplies to the protestors.