Border blockade dismantled in Alberta after more than two weeks

Trucks and other vehicles with horns blaring rolled out of Coutts Tuesday, ending a blockade that paralyzed a Canada-U.S. border crossing for more than two weeks.

Protesters had been restricting access to the main southern Alberta border crossing since Jan. 29 to rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and broader public health restrictions.

Commercial and personal vehicles left the area one day after the RCMP arrested 13 people and seized a cache of firearms and ammunition.

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Mounties said an early morning raid on Monday uncovered 13 long guns, handguns, a machete, a large quantity of ammunition and body armour. Two additional weapons were seized later that day.

RCMP also said a semi truck and farm tractor attempted to ram a police cruiser on Sunday.

Premier Jason Kenney said Monday the potential for escalating violence was disturbing and should serve as a wake-up call to protesters to go home immediately.

“The ongoing blockade of our borders and our highways at Coutts will no longer be tolerated,” he said at a news conference in Calgary.

“Now that this very delicate security challenge has been resolved successfully by the police, broader enforcement measures will commence,” he warned.

Kenney said later in the day that he was “pleased to hear reports” that those participating in the blockade intended to leave the area Tuesday.

The Coutts blockade was one of several demonstrations in Canadian cities and border points that have stalled trade, stranded travellers and disrupted lives of area residents, particularly in Ottawa.