Canadian police are beginning to detain and arrest the leaders of the trucker convoy in Ottawa. It began on Thursday as Prime Minister Trudeau fights to invoke power under the Emergency Act against the protesters, which includes freezing their bank accounts and confiscating their dogs.

Two convoy leaders who are named in a class-action lawsuit were the first to be arrested. Chris Barber was the first organizer to be arrested in Ottawa, followed hours later by Tamara Lich. Lich is seen as the main leader of the trucker protest. She expected to be arrested. Lich was there when Barber was arrested.

‘Hold the line,’ she shouted as she was escorted away.

A former fitness instructor who has sung and played guitar in a band called Blind Monday in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Lich was also a senior member of a separatist group that advocated for Canada’s Western provinces to secede from the country.

On Wednesday night, she had posted a tearful video to YouTube telling her supporters that she expected to be arrested imminently.

‘There’s a pretty good chance – I think it’s inevitable at this point – I’ll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I’ll be getting three square meals a day,’ she said.

‘And that’s OK. I want you to know I’m OK with that.

‘I’ll probably get some sleep.

‘But please stay peaceful. And know that this too shall pass. There will be a tomorrow. And we will get through this.’

There were several arrests made Thursday. Barber was arrested a few blocks from Parliament and led away in handcuffs by two police officers. It was posted on Facebook.

Barber, a truck driver for the last 28 years who led the Saskatchewan portion of the protest convoy that has been in Ottawa for the last three weeks, was walking down the street with several friends when police detained him.

Footage posted on social media showed him being detained. He could be seen smiling calmly as he was patted down and put in a patrol car.

‘Call my wife!’ he said, to a friend who was filming. ‘And put this on social media.’

Ottawa’s Interim Police Chief Steve Bell held a press conference Thursday and said that checkpoints are being established to lock down the city’s core. The no-go zone is being put in place to prevent additional protesters from joining those already there. The protesters who are there and camping out are encouraged to leave. Only people who can show proof of living or working within the zone will be allowed to enter the area. There are 100 checkpoints that circle the area.

Meanwhile, Trudeau continues to argue in support of invoking the Emergencies Act in Parliament. Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois are opposed to his use of Emergencies Act against the convoy. The Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party support Trudeau and have the numbers to approve the action.

Those being detained by police and/or arrested were put on notice that their animals would be confiscated. After an eight day period, any animals not claimed will be considered “relinquished”.

Attention animal owners at demonstration

If you are unable to care for your animal as a result of enforcement actions, your animal will placed into protective care for 8 days, at your cost. After 8 days, if arrangements are not made, your animal will be considered relinquished. pic.twitter.com/OkbXc8RE3c

— Ottawa By-law (@OttawaBylaw) February 17, 2022

On the American side of the border there is some organizing being done to form a convoys that will travel to Washington, D.C. to protest COVID-19 mandates and federal government overreach. A PAC is partnering in the effort and helping to raise money.

The Great American Patriot Project sent out an email blast on Wednesday urging supporters to join, volunteer for, or donate to the American Truckers Freedom Fund. The email asserts the truckers “represent a movement of peaceful, non-violent Americans from all walks of life who are dissatisfied with the unscientific, unconstitutional government overreach in regards to mandates.”

“It’s time for #AmericanTruckers to stand with truckers all over the world. Don’t be afraid to #HonkHonk. Everybody loves #FreedomHonks,” the PAC proclaims on its website.

The convoy will have several starting points, including in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio as well as Fresno, California. The trip will end in Washington, D.C. on March 6. There are plans for a congressional welcome committee to meet with them and discuss policy changes.

February 23,2022 starting in Barstow California. Main routes👇🏽 please rt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸#PeoplesConvoy #peoplesconvoy2022 pic.twitter.com/QDW0qHRlbT

— Exiting Platos Cave (@DanielM29023415) February 15, 2022

Donations made through the PAC will be able to avoid limitations that are in place on some crowdsourcing sites, like GoFundMe. That site shut down a fundraising page for the Canadian truckers. Some Facebook pages that promote convoys have been taken down. Facebook claims there are links to extremist groups and conspiracy theories. Did any of the groups raising money for other protesters like BLM during the Summer of Love, for example, receive such censorship? I know. That’s a rhetorical question.