“We want those great Canadian truckers to know that we are with them all the way,” he said.

“The Canadian truckers, you’ve been reading about it, who are resisting bravely these lawless mandates, are doing more to defend American freedom than our own leaders by far.”

Over the weekend Texas senator and former Republican presidential candidate, Ted Cruz, described the Canadian police who moved to clear Ottawa as “jackbooted thugs”.

Yvette Herrell, a Republican member of Congress, announced she will introduce a bill to grant temporary political asylum to the Canadian truckers.

“Just as we provide asylum for political prisoners, we should do the same for truckers who have been subjected to violence, had their property confiscated, and their bank accounts frozen by a government that is quickly becoming the embarrassment of the free world,” she tweeted.

Although the bill has no chance of becoming law, it reflects the support the Canadian truckers have had from the American right.
In Canada, meanwhile, police maintained a heavy presence in Ottawa, having cleared away the protesters.
Fences have been erected to prevent the truckers from regaining control.

At least 170 people have been arrested and 53 vehicles have been towed away.

Several of the organisers of the Canadian protest are due to appear in court this week.