Fact check: Posts mislead about crowd size, peacefulness at Canada ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest – USA TODAY

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As the “Freedom Convoy” protest continues in Canada, inspiring similar anti-vaccine mandate demonstrations in other countries, some have taken to social media to suggest the event has been mostly peaceful.
“100,000 Truck convoy..NOT One Building Is Burning & NOT One Person Hurt…” reads a Feb. 10 Facebook post from a page called The Truth.
The post accumulated more than 4,700 shares in less than a week. Users in the comments compared the convoy of truck drivers with the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot and Black Lives Matter demonstrations, some calling the convoy a “true peaceful protest.”
Similar versions of the claim have been shared widely on Facebook and Twitter, where a tweet from ACT For America, an anti-Muslim advocacy group, generated more than 2,900 likes in less than a week.
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While it’s true there haven’t been widespread reports of injuries, the posts exaggerate the demonstration’s size and overstate the peacefulness associated with it. The exact number of attendees is unclear, but estimates are nowhere near 100,000. And there have been numerous reports of property damage and other potential crimes related to the protest.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media users and pages that shared the claim for comment.
While it’s unclear exactly how many people have participated in anti-vaccine mandate protests in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, there’s no evidence it’s close to 100,000.
In late January, the Ottawa Police Service estimated the arrival of 1,000 to 2,000 vehicles and warned of the possibility of unlawful or violent activity, according to the Ottawa Citizen. More recently, a news release from the Ottawa Police Service stated more than 4,000 protesters were present on Feb. 12.
While the protests have evolved since they began, video footage and news reports indicate the crowd size has remained in the thousands.
USA TODAY has previously debunked claims that the convoy is larger than the Canadian army and that Guinness World Records said it was the world’s longest truck parade.
USA TODAY could find no reports of widespread injuries or burned buildings resulting from the convoy. But that doesn’t mean the demonstrations have been entirely peaceful.
As of Feb. 10, Ottawa police had responded to approximately 1,000 calls related to the demonstrations and issued more than 1,550 tickets, according to a news release. Police also said detectives were investigating hundreds of reports from the hate-motivated crime hotline.
Officials have opened criminal investigations related to property damage, the BBC reported. One officer was reportedly attacked while attempting to seize fuel from a truck involved in the protest.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency Feb. 6, saying in a press release that the decision “reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations.” Watson has also warned of potential injuries or deaths resulting from the demonstrations. 
The Ottawa Police Service has issued warnings regarding unlawful behavior, violence and property damage. 
Fact check: Image of Dutch protest unrelated to Canadian truckers
On Feb. 12, two days after this post, demonstrators removed a fence around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the National War Memorial, the Ottawa News reported. Additionally, residents have reported rock-throwing, property damage and harassment, according to news reports
Fact check: Claim that Ottawa police aren’t subject to Canada’s vaccine mandates cites outdated guidelines
Elsewhere in Canada, the convoy has inspired similar unrest.
On Feb. 14, the Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police also arrested a group that had a “large quantity of ammunition,” and some protesters attempted to ram a police vehicle. 
USA TODAY reached out to Ottawa city and police officials for comment.
Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSE the claim that there have been no buildings burned or injuries at the “100,000 truck convoy” in Canada.
The exact size of the “Freedom Convoy” is unclear, but estimates from officials and news reports are in the thousands. There is no evidence the crowd size is anywhere near 100,000, as the post claims.
It’s true that there have been no reports of major injuries or burned buildings resulting from the demonstrations. But officials are investigating potential crimes associated with the convoy, and there have been reports of property damage. 
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Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

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