People hold flags and signs as they protest in solidarity with Canada amid uncertainty over tariffs policy, near the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Buffalo, NY, on April 2.Lindsay Dedario/Reuters
Shortly after Donald Trump announced details of his global tariffs Wednesday, a few hundred Americans gathered in the pouring rain on a pedestrian bridge in Buffalo and sang their northern neighbours’ national anthem.
The protest, held in the shadow of the Peace Bridge that connects the two countries, was meant to send a message to both Washington and to Canadians across the river – an affirmation that not all Americans support Mr. Trump’s economic and rhetorical attacks on Canada.
“We are in opposition to the tariffs. We think they’re disrespectful to our longest standing, steadfast allies, friends and near neighbours. We’re appalled by the talk of annexing Canada. We respect that Canada is a sovereign nation. We love you just the way you are,” said organizer Kate Powers, who was wearing a red Canada ball cap.
The tariffs, and Canadian backlash to them, are a major issue in Western New York. In 2024, Canadian visitors spent nearly US$933-million in the Buffalo Niagara region, including US$398-million on retail, according to tourism-research company Longwoods International. U.S. travel boycotts are already being felt here. The duty-free shop on Wednesday was nearly empty and there were only a handful of cars crossing into the U.S. at the Peace Bridge, normally one of the busiest crossings in the country.
Dozens of people at the protest waved Canadian flags and held placards that solicited honks from the vehicles passing below on the 190 expressway. They chanted, listened to speeches and sang. A group of protesters also gathered along the shoreline in Fort Erie, on the Canadian side, waving flags in response.
“We hope they could hear us,” Ms. Powers said.
Kate Powers addresses protesters gathered near The Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo, N.Y., on April 2.Adrian Kraus/The Associated Press
Many in Buffalo, a blue-collar city rebounding from decades of decline in its auto-parts and steelmaking industries, said their connection to Canada is emotional, not just economic. Many families here have links to both sides of the border, and want to see fewer barriers to commerce, co-operation and travel.
“This is a relationship that needs to be taken seriously and needs to be upheld for an abundance of reasons, including our human connection,” said Lauren DeChambeau, holding a sign that read, “Canada is our closest ally, not Russia.”
She likened Canada to her backyard, saying “it’s always been there for us.”
Ms. Powers said stories of Canadians being detained or turned around at the U.S. border have put a chill on cross-border visits. Some people are fearful of what might happen if they try to cross, so they’re staying home, she said. She’s also worried about the “broken trust,” evidenced by Canadians selling U.S. vacation homes, which could take many years to heal.
Sean Stanton, a volunteer firefighter and former U.S. Marine, stood on the bridge in the rain and waved a small Canadian flag. He said a lot of fellow Americans are waking up to the fact that their president is pursuing an agenda against Canada that they never asked for. He hopes protests like this one will encourage more of his countrymen to speak out against the White House’s tariffs and its aggressive behaviour toward its neighbours.
“I think there’s a lot of people regretting their vote for Trump,” he said.
Many in the crowd said it was important Canadians know many Americans are just as angry and frustrated as they are by the disintegration of relations between the countries.
“This is not a Canadians vs. Americans problem. This is a presidential problem,” said Peter McNamara, an organizer with a group called Power to the People NY. “We need to stand against what’s going on right now and tell the current administration they can’t just do whatever they want.”
Organizers said more demonstrations like this one are being planned in the coming weeks. Ms. Powers, drenched and shivering despite her rain slicker, said people in her hometown are used to tailgating for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in miserable weather. There was little chance some rain would keep people away for an issue as important as this, she said.
“We very much want our neighbours in Fort Erie to see that we care about them, and that we are as concerned as they are about this, that we think that this is arbitrary and capricious and dangerous and dumb,” she said.