Updated Feb 9, 2022 - World

Vaccine mandate protests shut down key U.S.-Canada bridge

Jacob Knutson

Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Protests over Canada's COVID-19 vaccine mandates shut down the Ambassador Bridge Tuesday, as long-haul trucks and smaller vehicles blocked traffic destined for Canada, officials said.

Why it matters: The bridge, which connects Detroit to Windsor, Canada, is one of the busiest crossings between Canada and the U.S. and a key link for the automobile industry.

State of play: The Canada Border Services Agency listed the crossing as "temporarily closed" earlier on Tuesday. Local police said some lanes remained blocked off on Tuesday evening.

Canadian police announced on Tuesday night that another border crossing at Coutts, Alberta, had been closed to inbound and outbound traffic due to protests.
The Michigan Department of Transportation told motorists late Tuesday that the bridge to Canada in Detroit was closed and advised them to travel via Port Huron.

Meanwhile, Ottawa Police said they arrested 23 people on Tuesday for criminal offenses during "unlawful demonstrations."

The big picture: Protests over the vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions have continued for at least 10 days in Ottawa and have started to spread to other provinces.

Go deeper: Canadian police set up hate crime hotline over pandemic protest violence

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of Tuesday's arrests and further border crossing lane closures.

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Vaccine mandate protests shut down key U.S.-Canada bridge

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