‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada inspires vaccine-mandate protests from France to New Zealand

The movement that started with frustration from truckers over coronavirus vaccination mandates at the border has snowballed to include a hodgepodge of grievances. Here are some parts of the world seeing protests of varying scale energized by the self-described “Freedom Convoy”:

Canada’s Trumpian trucker protests show the global radicalization of anti-vaxxers

Wellington, New Zealand

Protesters gathered outside New Zealand’s Parliament building in Wellington for a sixth day Sunday as officials upped the ante in their attempts to scatter the assembled groups, blasting “Baby Shark,” “Let It Go” and other songs after sprinklers failed to deter the crowds.

The efforts did not appear successful, as the people protesting pandemic measures were heard singing along to a cringe-inducing recorder cover of “My Heart Will Go On,” standing their ground amid cries of “freedom!”

New Zealand switches on sprinklers, and ‘Baby Shark,’ to deter ‘Freedom Convoy’-inspired protesters

Days earlier, a convoy of vehicles clogged streets in the capital, Wellington, with horns blaring and crowds taking to the streets to oppose vaccine mandates. “It’s not about HEALTH, it’s about CONTROL,” one sign read.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has described the protesters a minority. The country, which is set to start easing its border closure this month, has maintained some of the world’s toughest restrictions during the pandemic, a policy authorities credit for keeping infections and deaths low.

Local media reported on Friday that in an effort to dislodge some protesters, the Speaker of Parliament, Trevor Mallard instructed water sprinklers be kept on outside parliament — a tactic to get those camped outside to leave.

“No-one who is here is here legally, and if they’re getting wet from below as well as above, they’re likely to be a little bit less comfortable and more likely to go home,” Mallard told press. In retaliation, some protesters covered the sprinklers with cones, while others dug trenches on the lawn to redirect the water.

Canada’s capital is jammed, its border crossings are blockaded, and there’s no end in sight

Paris, France

French protesters opposed to pandemic restrictions temporarily blocked parts of the Champs-Elysees on Saturday, disrupting traffic on the capital’s most recognizable street and marking the first major European emulation of Canada’s anti-government and anti-vaccine mandate movement. French police had announced in a statement they were banning the demonstrations, which they said were intended to “block the capital” and risked disrupting “public order.”

Local outlets reported that police made at least 97 arrests at the protest in Paris Saturday.

France’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ disrupts traffic on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, confronts police

Canberra, Australia

In the capital of neighboring Australia, self-styled “Convoy to Canberra” rallies that have lasted nearly two weeks continued over the weekend, with police reporting some 10,000 protesters near Parliament on Saturday, one of the movement’s strongest showings yet.

Police said they arrested four protesters who were part of a group that allegedly tried to enter Parliament House illegally on Saturday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Protesters who have been camping at Exhibition Park, a nearby event site, were given until midnight on Sunday by authorities to leave or face possible charges. The Canberra Times reported that most had left the area by Sunday afternoon, but that some protesters spoke of returning or of setting up camp in a different area.

Australian lawmakers fear escalation of Canberra protests influenced by Canadian truckers

New York

In New York, a group of city workers marched in protest of a measure set to take effect requiring them to get vaccinated or face dismissal. The protesters walked across the Brooklyn Bridge this week holding large U.S. and Canadian flags. Some of their signs read, “Workers Are Essential, Mandates Are Not” and “We will not comply with tyranny.”

Here’s what you need to know about the ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada

Alaska

In Alaska, dozens of truckers gathered in Anchorage last weekend, driving to Eagle River to show support for the Ottawa protesters and reject vaccine requirements for crossing the border, according to local media outlets. “Mandates should be our choice, whether you want the shots or not,” one truck driver told the Anchorage Daily News, which reported that other cities in Alaska saw similar events.

Canadian officials caution against ‘foreign interference’ as U.S. Republicans back ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests

Europe

Protesters are also planning to converge in Brussels on Monday.

Though the region has a history of trucker and anti-lockdown protests, the Ottawa demonstrations fueled a rush of online organizing, including from anti-vaccine and anti-mandate groups rallying under the “European Freedom Convoy” banner. Facebook groups for events in a number of cities have drawn tens of thousands of members. On Telegram channels circulating the plans, messages ranged from expressions of support for truckers to misinformation about vaccines.

Paris and Brussels to ban ‘Freedom Convoy’ inspired by Canadian protest

–Annabelle Timsit, Rick Noack and Bryan Pietsch contributed reporting.