Governments seek to contain citizens’ pandemic-fueled frustrations

The protesters are very, very few in number.

But copycat demonstrations around the world in the wake of Canada’s trucker blockades still pose a thorny problem for major democracies, just as they are beginning to hope that the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic might be waning.

The main challenge isn’t policing. Nor is it the policy issue emblazoned on placards from Paris to the New Zealand capital, Wellington – vaccination rules.

Rather, it is the array of extremist groups that