Court in Ottawa blocks anti-COVID drivers from honking

A judge in Canada’s capital has issued a temporary injunction against the use of car horns that have been causing distress to downtown residents over the past 11 days. This is reported by the CBC TV channel.

The judge observed that the use of the horn was not “the expression of any great thought” and ordered the drivers to observe silence for the next ten days. It is reported that motorists thus declare their disagreement with covid restrictions.

With the requirement to impose a ban on the use of horns, residents of the central regions went to court. The plaintiff’s lawyer said that such sounds stay at the level of 105-120 decibels, and if listened to for a long time, this can lead to permanent hearing damage.

A lawyer representing the three organizers of the protest argued that his clients were not personally responsible for the noise, that Ottawa was experiencing a mass protest against pandemic measures, and that everything that was happening was part of the democratic process. The judge said the horn ban does not take away the city’s right to protest.

Earlier, in the capital of Canada, the authorities introduced a state of emergency to effectively counter protests against anti-COVID measures. According to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, the introduced regime shows “the seriousness of the security threat that has arisen.” He stressed that the ongoing protests threaten the safety of citizens.

Watson acknowledged that the situation with the protests was out of control. Several thousand truckers occupy the city center for more than a week, obstructing traffic and constantly honking.