- Canada's Ontario province declared a state of emergency on Friday, following two weeks of trucker protests.
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the Freedom Convoy protests that have spread to Ottawa, Windsor, and Sarnia an "illegal occupation."
- Ford said the province will take legal action against protesters that are non-compliant via fines and potential jail time.
Ontario declared a widespread state of emergency amid ongoing trucker protests on Friday.
Doug Ford, Ontario's premier, called the demonstrations against cross-border vaccine mandates an "illegal occupation."
'This is no longer a protest," Ford said at a press conference on Friday. W"ith a protest, you peacefully make your point and you go back home."
Ford said he will "use legal authorities to urgently enact orders," promising fines and jail time for non-compliance.
Canada can't "have people occupying cities, holding them hostage," Ford said, and urged demonstrators to go home.
Protestors — who call themselves the "Freedom Convoy" — have clogged city streets in Ottawa for over two weeks and recently blocked a vital bridge between Detroit and Canada, snarling international trade. Since, the protests have spread throughout the province into Windsor and Sarnia.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.