Ambassador Bridge Protest: Windsor Mayor Seeks Court Order

DETROIT — Windsor officials filed an injunction Thursday seeking a court order to use force if necessary to end the Canadian truckers protest at the Ambassador Bridge, the Canadian city's mayor said during a news conference.

The situation is spilling over into Michigan, where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer urged Canadian officials to reopen the bridge, citing its impact on Detroit-area businesses.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens called the situation a "national crisis" and said the order is needed "to bring about an end to this illegal occupation" of the bridge.

Dilkens' decision to seek a court order to end the protest, which has blocked all traffic on the bridge for the past four days, comes on the same day Whitmer stressed how negatively the blockade is affecting Michigan businesses.

"My message is simple: Reopen traffic on the bridge," Whitmer said Thursday.

Dilkens said he hoped the city would appear before a superior court judge by the end of Thursday. However, he also said he remains hopeful to peacefully resolve the situation and that the truckers will leave voluntarily.

"They have a fundamental right to their views and their opinions," Dilkens said of the protesters. "They don't have the right to affect you or your family's ability to earn a living, and they've gone too far."

In addition to the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, the Department of Homeland Security also warned officials about potential road disruptions in the United States, including at the Super Bowl in California on Sunday.

White House officials warned on Wednesday the shutdown at the Ambassador Bridge could potentially disrupt supply chains. And Whitmer said Michigan's economy was feeling the effects of the blockade, as several Detroit and Canadian automakers curtailed production at plants due to a lack of parts.

The Canadian truckers, who call themselves the "Freedom Convoy," were protesting some of the Canadian government's COVID-19 restrictions, which included a new requirement that all truckers crossing the U.S.-Canada border must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The protests began nearly two weeks ago in Ottawa, Ontario.