The video shows what Trudeau later described as “bits of gravel” hitting him and others as he boarded the bus.
The incident highlights a national election campaign that has been on the rise. Last month, Trudeau’s campaign canceled a public event for security reasons. Many protesters following Trudeau say they are angry with public health measures such as vaccination warrants.
Earlier Monday, Trudeau had said he would not “back down” from the campaign, although dozens of strong and increasingly aggressive protesters were pursuing his events.
“Yes, there is a small marginal element in this country that is angry, that doesn’t believe in science, that is attacking racist and misogynistic attacks,” Trudeau said while campaigning in Ontario hours before the gravel launch incident .
High vaccination rate
Canadian Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole has denounced aggressive protesters saying last week that her party does not tolerate such behavior.
“I strongly condemn any kind of harassment and protest for what we have seen. We are a democracy, we should have a healthy and respectful debate of ideas and we do not have time for people who bring negativity to the campaign,” he said. he said during a briefing.
Following the incident, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, tweeted that “our experience should teach us two things: political violence is contagious unless it is stopped with the denunciation and enforcement, and it is wrong to think “this is not Canada. Unfortunately it is and will have terrible consequences unless we face it.”
Canada’s next federal election is scheduled for Sept. 20, and polls show a narrow race between Trudeau and O’Toole’s political parties.
Most Canadians have taken public health measures and Canada now has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with 3 out of 4 eligible Canadians fully vaccinated.
Despite this, the slow-pandemic pandemic is reaching Canada with the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, especially among younger and unvaccinated Canadians.