Ottawa declared a state of emergency on Sunday as a trucker-led demonstration against vaccine mandates entered the 10th day and the government said it would not back down on the issue.

The "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

***Canada has imposed Covid-19 mandates to stop the spread of Coronavirus and protect its citizens. The NHS state the coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective to give you the best protection against COVID-19 for more information go to the NHS website ***

Protesters have paralyzed downtown Ottawa for the past nine days, with some participants waving Confederate or Nazi flags and some saying they wanted to dissolve Canada's government.

Amid incessant horn blaring and occasional fireworks, a polished supply chain -- including portable saunas, a community kitchen and bouncy castles for children -- has sustained the protesters to the fury of residents who blame police for inaction.

Trudeau, who is isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, has ruled out using the military to disband the protest. Due to security concerns, Trudeau and his family left their downtown home last weekend and his location has not been disclosed.

The prime minister has said the convoy represented a "small fringe minority" and the government would not be intimidated. About 90% of Canada's cross-border truckers and almost 79% of the population has had two COVID-19 vaccine shots.

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