Protestors mark the one-year anniversary of Ambassador Bridge blockade

On Sunday, protestors gathered at the closed SilverCity movie theatre at the Mikhail Centre in Windsor to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the blockade which closed the Ambassador Bridge for six days. (Mike Evans/CBC - image credit)
On Sunday, protestors gathered at the closed SilverCity movie theatre at the Mikhail Centre in Windsor to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the blockade which closed the Ambassador Bridge for six days. (Mike Evans/CBC - image credit)

Roughly 30 protestors commemorated the one-year anniversary of the blockade that closed the Ambassador Bridge for six days in 2022.

The protestors arrived at the Mikhail Centre at the intersection of Walker Road and Provincial Road on Sunday in cars and trucks that displayed flags insulting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canadian and American flags and anti-government stickers on cars and trucks were also on display.

Those gathered in front of the closed SilverCity Windsor Cinemas were honking their horns, screaming anti-government and anti-COVID-19 mandate chants and claiming that CBC News is brainwashing Canadians.

Some drivers passing by also honked their horns in support of the protestors gathered at the plaza.

CBC News attempted to directly speak with some of the attendees, but they declined, claiming that CBC News would twist their words into a message they did not wish to convey.

Joe Mikhail of Mikhail Holdings is the owner of the property. He said that he reached out to Windsor police to get the protestors to move off the lot, saying the protestors were trespassing.

"It's an unlawful assembly on a private lot," he said.

Mikhail said police did move the protestors away from the theatre, but they only moved them to a different spot on the property. Mikhail likened the process to "chasing rats."

Mike Evans/CBC
Mike Evans/CBC

In a statement to CBC News, Windsor police said they are monitoring the situation and will act as needed.

"We respect people's right to peaceful protest and are working to ensure they can exercise their civil rights in a way that is lawful and safe," part of the statement said. "We have reminded protesters that they must obey all laws, including the Keeping Ontario Open for Business Act and the Trespass to Property Act."

A few dozen vehicles were also seen on Highway 401 between Tilbury and Chatham heading toward Windsor, with Ontario Provincial Police vehicles at the end of the procession.

The OPP declined to comment on the situation when asked by CBC News.