Ottawa protesters defy growing calls to end occupation of capital

• Hundreds of trucks and cars have blockaded downtown areas
• How did the Ottawa protests begin and what's next?

Protesters against Covid vaccine mandates have defied government calls for them to end a 10-day occupation of Canada's capital, a day after the city's mayor declared a state of emergency and promised to get the city back".

Ottawa police have described the protest as a siege" on the city, where hundreds of trucks and cars have blockaded the downtown areas. On Sunday, Mayor Jim Watson warned that officials were losing this battle", and a civil class-action lawsuit was filed against protesters over the incessant horn blasting and disruption to daily life.