A Windsor councillor is urging those taking part in the anti-COVID-19 vaccine demonstrations to be respectful.
Ward 1's Fred Francis says he's not opposed to protesting, but it must be done without breaking the law or endangering the public.
On Monday afternoon, demonstrators began to block traffic near the Ambassador Bridge prompting Windsor police to close Huron Church Rd. between College Ave and Tecumseh Rd. W. just after 8pm.
Francis says any community support will quickly disappear if there's major disruptions.
"It's one thing to protest peacefully. I think most people, if not everyone, would respect the peaceful protest, but once you cross those lines and you cross the law, it no longer is a peaceful protest and that's something the protesters have to be mindful of."
He says the well-being of residents in the area needs to be considered.
"If they want to protest, that's fine, as long as they do so within the boundaries of the law. If it's starting to break the law or if it's starting to cause issues with other people going about their daily lives, either coming home from work or going to the grocery store, that's when it becomes intrusive and people have a right to be upset with that."
Francis says protesting in Windsor doesn't make much sense.
"If people want to protest something that is happening in the halls of the House of Commons or something that's happening up in Toronto, that's one thing. I've never been in agreement that you take that out on the people living in Windsor. If your issues are with Queen's Park or Parliament Hill, then that's where your issues should be."
Huron Church Rd. near the Ambassador Bridge remains closed to traffic.
The Canada Border Services Agency has officially closed the bridge and is advising travelers to use the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel or the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia as an alternate route.
— with files from AM800's Patty Handysides