Protest convoy truck noise caused hearing loss

Описание: An inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act got a blaring introduction Friday to life in Ottawa during the “Freedom Convoy” protest as the deafening chorus of big-rig horns was played for the commission.

The first witness, a legally blind resident of downtown Ottawa, flinched as a recording of the horns resounded in the conference room for the benefit of the commissioner, lawyers, protest convoy organizers and members of the public.

The witness, Victoria De La Ronde, told the commission the protest that arrived in Ottawa in late January was an “assault on my hearing,” which she relied on to navigate the city independently.

“I found myself trapped,” said De La Ronde, who was left feeling hopeless and unable to leave her home.

She became emotional as she told the commission she eventually begged a friend to pick her up and help her leave the convoy zone. A few days later she and her friend both contracted COVID-19.

In the days after the protest ended, De La Ronde said, she could still hear phantom horns blaring in her head. Even now, the sound of a car horn ripples through her body, fraying her nerves, she said.

The commission is examining the evolution and goals of the protest, the effect of misinformation and disinformation on the convoy, and the efforts of police before and after the emergency declaration.

Zexi Li, a 22-year-old public servant who filed a court injunction to stop truckers from continually honking their horns during the protest, also shared her experience with the commission.

“It didn’t feel safe, my guard was up all the time,” Li said of walking the Ottawa streets during the protest.

Li launched a class-action lawsuit against convoy organizers Feb. 3, and an Ontario court granted her an injunction four days later to stop the horn honking.

On Feb. 14, the federal Liberals invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time as protesters opposed to COVID-19 public health measures and the Trudeau government occupied downtown Ottawa streets and blockaded border crossings.

The law temporarily granted police extraordinary powers and allowed banks to freeze accounts, which the government argues was critical to ending the protests.

Both Li and De La Ronde described feeling sleep-deprived by the constant noise rising from the street.

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