MSNBC Warns of Canadian ‘Insurrection,’ Threat of Plinko & Pizza Ovens

On Monday afternoon, MSNBC anchor Katy Tur feared a protest by Canadian truckers against government COVID regulations was tantamount to a “national insurrection.” She then brought on a Canadian journalist who detailed the threatsDemonstrators pose questions about: Plinko (pizza ovens), saunas, hot tubs, and saunas.

“The mayor of Ottawa has declared a state of emergency as truckers protest Canada’s COVID vaccine requirements. Thousands of truckers have virtually shutdown the city, with Canadian officials calling the situation a, quote, ‘nationwide insurrection,’”Tur warned the audience at the end of the segment. However, she then admitted: “The protests, which have been going on for over a week – more than a week, have not resulted in any serious physical violence so far…”

Turning to CTV National News parliamentary reporter Annie Bergeron-Oliver live in Ottawa, Tur urged: “I think this might be the first introduction for a lot of Americans as to what’s going on up there, so please just explain what’s happening.” Bergeron-Oliver fretted:

It started out as a group of truckers who disapproved that the federal government had made a mandatory vaccine for truckers ….. it’s grown into sort of a movement, a place where individuals opposed to all things COVID in terms of lockdowns, vaccinations in general, people who are just opposed in general to more centrist policies. It’s become a rallying cry for those individuals. So it’s really more of A protest against the Liberal Government and about all things centrist.

Tur was hyped again moments later: “We’ve heard it called a nationwide insurrection. It’s almost as if, you know, you’re talking about closed streets in the center of town there. It sounds like it’s causing quite a bit of havoc not just in that city but across the country.”Bergeron Oliver described, in a breathless manner, the dangers posed by protest at this point:

This isn’t just a protest, you should know.Ottawa, just like every capital city in the world, has been used to protest. Here, however, we all know. They set up a Plinko game table right next to me, which is one of the games that you’d see most often. It’s a good price, they have open fire pits that are burning throughout the downtown, they have villages, essentially, they build structures on the street to keep people warm, they have a full set of – The other day, I was amazed to see some pizza ovens. In one place, organizers set up three saunas and a hot spa.

Following that list of horrors, the reporter whined: “And so the big question has been, why isn’t Ottawa Police enforcing this stronger? They say they just don’t have the resources, that this situation is too volatile….it’s getting too dangerous to do much of anything.”

Tur worried: “It’s incredible to hear they have saunas set up or pizza ovens set up.”

Progressive and Aleve brought this absurd attempt to condemn an MSNBC protest to the attention of viewers. This is your chance to fight back.

Below is the complete transcript from the 7 February segment.

2:21 ET PM

KATY TUR: The mayor of Ottawa has declared a state of emergency as truckers protest Canada’s COVID vaccine requirements. Thousands of truckers have virtually shutdown the city, with Canadian officials calling the situation a, quote, “nationwide insurrection.”

CHIEF PETER SLOLY [OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE]The unprecedented Canadian protest is here. We need more help, we’re asking for that help. We’re starting to receive that help, but we need more to get this done.

TUR: The protests, which have been going on for over a week – more than a week, have not resulted in any serious physical violence so far, but they have evolved into a rallying point for opposition to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has called the protesters a fringe minority of Canadians.

Annie Bergeron Oliver, CTV National News’ parliamentary reporter is joining me in Ottawa. Annie, thanks so much for being here. I think this might be the first introduction for a lot of Americans as to what’s going on up there, so please just explain what’s happening.

ANNIE BERGERON OLIVER [CTV NATIONAL NEWS, PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER]This is the Freedom Convoy 2020, as protesters call it. You can see the street behind me, it’s called Wellington, it’s a stones throw away from Parliament Hill. The U.S. would see this as the Pennsylvania Avenue directly across from the White House.

In the beginning, this was a gathering of truckers and others who disapproved of the fact that there was a federal mandate to give vaccines to truckers. This meant that anyone coming into Canada as trucker had two doses or more of the vaccine. You had to get a vaccination or you would be forced to stay in quarantine for 14 day. So that’s how it started. But really, since then, it’s grown into sort of a movement, a place where individuals opposed to all things COVID in terms of lockdowns, vaccinations in general, people who are just opposed in general to more centrist policies. It’s become a rallying cry for those individuals. So it’s really more of a protest, sort of about everything centrist and especially the liberal government.

This has been happening for over 11 days. The downtown streets are now blocked. The horns can be heard behind me. These blare every day between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Residents haven’t been able sleep well, many haven’t been able work. Most businesses located in the downtown core of this city, which is home to over a million residents, are now closed for more than one week.

TUR: Just a second ago, we heard an official from the city say that he was in dire need of help. He needed help as a police officer. It was probably more than just a police officer. We’ve heard it called a nationwide insurrection. It sounds like, you know, you’re talking about closed streets in the center of town there. It sounds like it’s causing quite a bit of havoc not just in that city but across the country.

BERGERON-OLIVER: Yeah, so the clip was just from our police chief here in Ottawa, Peter Sloly, and he said that the Ottawa Police is overwhelmed, that they do not have the resources able to deal with what he’s calling a siege and an occupation. This isn’t just a demonstration, Ottawa is like every capital city. You know what? They set up a Plinko board right next to me, which is one of the games that you’d see everywhere. It’s a good price, they have open fire pits that are burning throughout the downtown, they have villages, essentially, they build structures on the street to keep people warm, they have a full set of – I saw some pizza ovens the other day. In one place, organizers set up three saunas as well as a hot tub.

TUR: Jeez.

BERGERON-OLIVER: And so the big question has been, why isn’t Ottawa Police enforcing this stronger? They say they just don’t have the resources, that this situation is too volatile. They have started to get a little bit stronger but most people are saying this has taken way too long and we are now at a point where all of these trucks have lots of fuel and it’s getting too dangerous to do much of anything.

TUR: It’s incredible to hear they have saunas set up or pizza ovens set up. Just one more question very quickly –

BERGERON OLIVER: They have three.

TUR: Where – it’s not just truckers, there’s a lot of – I’ve heard there’s Qanon supporters in the crowd?

BERGERON-OLIVER: Yeah, so, you know, over the weekend and over the last eleven days we’ve seen swastikas, we’ve seen the Confederate flag, we’ve seen flags with Justin Trudeau, our Prime Minister, in a noose. Lots of Donald Trump flags as well, people chanting, “Let’s go Brandon,” of course that political saying in the U.S., and a lot of the organizers even have connections to white nationalists groups.

Canada Unity is actually one of their main organizers. They want to take down the federal government. The unelected and appointed Senate, they claim, should remove the federal government if the vaccine mandates remain. One, Canada’s vaccine mandates are federal as well as provincial. The Senate is also appointed but has no power to expel elected officials.

TUR. Annie Bergeron Oliver. Thank you for being here. You have a great story in Ottawa. We are grateful for your reports and time. We are grateful.