Canada-to-US Ambassador Bridge reopens, as COVID mandate 'Convoy' protests in Ottawa swells

Canada's Ambassador Bridge is open Monday after protesters taking a stand against COVID-19 mandates shut down the major passage to the United States for more than a week. 

The truckers, part of the so-called "Freedom Convoy," who occupied the bridge were cleared by law enforcement over the weekend. Officials had said Saturday that the bridge had been reopened, but the process of removing vehicles, protesters and others was reportedly not complete until late Sunday night.  

A much larger branch of the protest, however, continues in Canada's capital city of Ottawa.

The Canadian truckers have inspired similar demonstrations in a several other countries including France, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

In the U.S., there have been rumblings for weeks that an American version of the convoy may materialize, though nothing has yet to materialize.

On Sunday, police in Windsor, Ontario, arrested more than two-dozen protesters and towed several vehicles near the Ambassador Bridge, which links the Canadian city with Detroit. After the police action, the number of protesters in Windsor dwindled. In Ottawa, though, crowd size swelled to 4,000 demonstrators and a counter protest comprised of frustrated Ottawa residents emerged.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said Sunday he'd meet with the protesters if they contained their demonstration area to a spot in Parliament Hill and shifted out of the way of residential streets and their traffic flow.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refused to meet with the protesters. According to the Associated Press, he will conference virtually with leaders of Canada's provinces Monday morning, amid frustration from residents upset that he's yet to find a solution to the disruptions.