The premier of Canada’s biggest province declared a state of emergency, warning protesters choking off traffic at a key U.S. border crossing and causing gridlock in Canada’s capital they face stiff punishment if they don’t leave.

TORONTO — The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Feb. 10 to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, as the bumper-to-bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides of the border to shut down or scale back production.

Traffic was stopped on Okeechobee Road near Miami on June 7 after protesting truckers blocked the road.