Critics are slamming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "coward" for reportedly fleeing his residence in the country’s capital of Ottawa as a massive anti-vaccine mandate protest converged on the city.
"What a complete coward. He won’t even face the citizens he has discriminated against," Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe tweeted.
The Freedom Convoy of truckers left Vancouver for Ottawa on Jan. 23 to protest the federal government’s vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers and is calling for an end to coronavirus restrictions. The convoy reached Ottawa on Saturday and was joined by thousands of other Canadians protesting the mandates.
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The protests have been peaceful, with most disturbances coming in the form of honking horns, chanting and dancing.
Trudeau’s itinerary for the day usually outlines that he is in Ottawa if he's at home, but on Saturday it said "National Capital Region." Trudeau and his family were moved to a secret location in the capital over alleged security risks, sources told the CBC over the weekend.
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Critics in both the U.S. and Canada lambasted and mocked the prime minister as "gutless" and "cowardly" for fleeing the protesters instead of addressing their concerns over health freedom.
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The prime minister tweeted on Monday morning that he tested positive for COVID-19 but is "feeling fine."
"This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. I’m feeling fine – and I’ll continue to work remotely this week while following public health guidelines. Everyone, please get vaccinated and get boosted," he tweeted.
Trudeau condemned the convoy last week and said it is composed of a "small fringe minority" of people who hold "unacceptable views."
Other critics, including Elon Musk, have mocked him for the comment following videos showing thousands of people protesting the mandates.
"It would appear that the so-called ‘fringe minority’ is actually the government," Musk tweeted Sunday.