The mainstream media — especially in Canada — wants you to believe the truckers’ ‘Freedom Convoy’ has been dangerous. But one journalist, Rebel News’ Lincoln Jay, tells Glenn the scene he’s witnessed for weeks now has been anything but. He says the truckers created a ‘family atmosphere’ in Ottawa, provided food for the needy, and even shoveled snow on city sidewalks. In fact, the only chaos Lincoln saw during the three weeks he covered the protest occurred when police arrived to clear the scene: ‘I’ve never seen such police enforcement in MY LIFE.’
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Lincoln Jay, he is a video journalist for Rebel News. He was with the trucker convoy in Canada, and he saw it firsthand. Lincoln, welcome.
LINCOLN: Hey, thanks so much for having me on. How is it going?
GLENN: It's good. So tell me what is there any -- was there any reported real violence protesters that were out of hand at all?
LINCOLN: Well, I can tell you that I was on the ground since the 28th of January. I've been here for quite a bit. I was here for the duration of the trucker's convoy in Ottawa, and I have described it previously, as a family environment. No exaggeration.
There were kids, bouncing on bouncy castles. There was -- they had food tents set up, across the city in the downtown core, where they were feeding anybody in need. Not just supporters. The truckers. But even if you were just a homeless person in the city, just simply someone in need.
They were feeding everybody. So it's really crazy to see, how the media is -- in Canada is trying to spin this, into something it's not.
GLENN: And is the -- the people seem to be okay with it. At first. The Canadian people. And then they got a little pissy because of the -- the bridges, et cetera. Then they seemed to get angry with Trudeau. For not doing anything. And now he's -- he's really done something.
What do the average Canadians, feel about this?
How is this playing to the average person in Canada?
LINCOLN: To be honest, it's really hard to judge, like you said. At first, it seemed like everyone was on board -- but then people -- a lot of people started to feel like it was time for them to leave.
What I can tell you, is that the locals in Ottawa, from what I've experienced on the ground, just walking around and being here. There's like -- I would say about half of the locals, I've talked to in Ottawa, are on board with it.
And half, we just wanted them out.
They just thought it was time to leave, after the first weekend.
So I can only tell you -- sorry, go ahead.
GLENN: But I was going to say, but out of those half.
Did they think that this was justified to get them out?
LINCOLN: You know what, I can't comment on that. Because since -- since the emergencies act. Since we sought police enforcement, that we saw over the past few days. The city is like completely blocked off.
They've been out -- it's a red zone. So there's police checkpoints all over. And you really can't come into the red zone. Which is a big chunk of the downtown core.
Unless you live and work in the area. So honestly, it's a ghost town in Ottawa. I haven't been able to assess the situation. Other than what I'm seeing on television. On mainstream media outlets. Honestly, it seems like a lot of people think it was justified.
The way they took the protesters on. And that's what I'm --
GLENN: Jeez. So tell me what you saw.
LINCOLN: Well, what I saw, like I said, was a peaceful, peaceful protest, with no acts of violence, that I saw with my own eyes. For almost three weeks.
And then everybody had a feeling, that there was going to be some heavy police enforcement.
And then all of a sudden, we got a phone call, and we said, there's about 200 cops outside of the Westin Hotel, which is a hotel not far from Parkland Hill.
And then it was basically like a flick of a switch. They just went all out. I've never seen such police enforcement in my life.
It was intense. Pepper spray. Tear gas cannisters. As I'm sure you heard, my colleague got shot point-blank in the leg, with the rifle that shoots out tear gas cannisters.
GLENN: Oh, my gosh.
LINCOLN: So it was nuts.
GLENN: And they were also stopping journalists from recording. I've seen some really nasty footage of the cops trying to shut journalists down.
LINCOLN: Yeah. So there's a gentleman, by the name of Andrew Louton, from True North. He got pepper sprayed in the face, and then there's countless independent journalists here, that just have their phone out, and they're livestreaming. And on the Saturday night, there was a block party.
And so basically, the protesters the bottom pushed out of the street. Wellington Street. That runs right in front of parallel not hill. So they kind of regrouped.
And it was basically like a dance party. They were just playing music. And the police -- we saw the same strategies. The police formed a line. And they tried to oppressively push this whole crowd out. And in the process, they were literally shooting people's phones.
I talked to two people, who had their phones shot out of their hands. With rubber bullets.
GLENN: Oh, my gosh.
The -- the fact that these people, the police say now, that they are going to continue this investigation.
And anyone involved, is going to be debanked.
What are people saying in the -- in the protests?
Are they worried about these things?
LINCOLN: Well, I can tell you, firsthand, I spoke to a gentleman who traveled here from Winnipeg, to Ottawa, in support of the truckers. And I am assuming that he just donated some money, et cetera. And his bank account was frozen. I've done a full report on him. And he has no access to his funds. He can't make the debit purchase. He can't use his credit card. Can't take out money.
Can't send any sort of wire transfers. It's -- it's completely frozen. And the bank, there's just no transparency with how long it's going to be frozen for or anything.
So he's just left in the dark, with no access to his funds. He has bills to pay. He's got a mortgage. He's got a daughter. And ultimately, he has to get back home to Winnipeg. So he tells me, he's all right. But it's not that I can confirm, that's happening.
GLENN: How is he -- how is he going to get home?
LINCOLN: That's the question, you know, and that was the question too. Is they seize all these truckers trucks. Right?
If they seize their bank accounts, these -- a lot of the truckers. The gentlemen driving the trucks, the women driving the trucks, you know, they've driven three, four, days to get here.
So if they're freezing their bank accounts, they're taking their rigs. They have basically nothing. How are they supposed to get home?
GLENN: I don't know. But I think we should -- I watch these guys, and they were peaceful. They were rational.
They were creating a family atmosphere.
Everything that I've seen and heard about these guys. You know, this nonsense of the Nazi flags. There was one. And the protesters kicked that guy out.
And he was the only one, with his face fully covered. Why? Why? Why is that?
And we haven't found that guy.
This was not a Nazi rally. This was a freedom rally. And I think we should -- we should offer them a -- a sanctuary here in the United States, quite honestly.
LINCOLN: Yeah. And I can't reiterate enough. I cannot express enough, how -- how peaceful the environment was here. I've honestly never seen anything like it.
It was three weeks of straight protest every day. And the streets of Ottawa were completely clean.
Like just -- just completely clean. You had -- the temperatures are freezing here. It's a lot of snow.
Countless supporters, protesters. Shoveling snow in the streets of Ottawa. Like I said earlier, they were literally handing out food to anybody. Anybody. It did not matter.
So the fact in a Justin Trudeau has literally stated that the people involved in the condition invoice in Ottawa, were stealing food from the homeless. Could not be any further from the truth.
I simply don't know where he's getting this information from.
GLENN: Lincoln, how does this end? Does parliament meet today?
LINCOLN: Well, what I can tell you, is that Justin Trudeau is having a press conference, where I assume he's going to address the events that took place over the weekend.
And ultimately, the clearing out of the convoy. So honestly, it's over right now. Four days ago, it was filled with trucks. Filled with trucks. Wellington Street, Edmonton Street, right in front of Canada. Just filled with trucks.
Today, it is completely empty.
So my honest opinion, on where this goes, is I think Trudeau is probably just going to continue on, with how he's been acting. And what he's been doing. He seems to take no responsibility.
He doesn't want to -- he didn't want to negotiate, talk to the truckers, meet them halfway, in any way. He just stuck to his principles. He stuck to his agenda. Whatever that is. And he keeps moving forward. So it's tough to predict, where this is going to go.
GLENN: Lincoln, thank you very much. Stay safe. And tell all the truckers, and anybody you meet. To keep their chin up.
They've done a great job, keeping it peaceful. And letting the world see who the real fascists are. Thank you so much, Lincoln. I appreciate it.
LINCOLN: Absolutely. Thanks for having me on, Glenn. If you want to check out our coverage on the ground in Ottawa, we have a website called convoyreports.com. There you can see what actually took place hear in Ottawa.
GLENN: Thanks a lot. Convoyreports.com.