On the ground, the reality of the movement starkly clashed with the melodrama of the government's declaration of a National Emergency: kids
jumping in bouncy castles, crowds merrily singing and
dancing (a relief in the bitter cold), protesters
hugging police officers, and youth
playing street hockey. In one
video, a group of Sikh Canadians can be seen preparing traditional Indian meals to feed the truckers (an act of charity known as "seva" in the Sikh tradition), all in the name of national unity and freedom.
In fact, Trudeau’s opponents bear more resemblance to Gandhi’s
satyagraha movement than any terrorist faction. The truckers and their supporters were brimming with national pride, and they appeared to be committed to peaceful protest, non-compliance, and civil disobedience.