Truckers in America have started their own cross-country drive to protest the recent coronavirus restrictions. They are following suit of what happened when Canada’s capital city Ottawa was paralyzed by a similar illness last month, and they’re not going down without a fight. The ‘People’s Convoy’ is beginning an 11-day trek to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC. They are demanding that all citizens have access COVID -19 vaccine and masks without any more restrictions than what exists now.
Ron Coleman, 61, a trucker from Reno, Nevada, as he prepared to make the 2,500-mile (4,000-km) journey said,
This is for our freedoms, our human rights. Enough is enough.
Coleman, a trucker for 45 years and one of the group’s founders said they were also pushing to end emergency powers that U.S politicians have used in response to pandemic-related restrictions.
The U.S Department of Defense has approved 400 National Guard troops from the District of Columbia to help traffic posts starting Saturday through March 7th, when expected protests are set for arrival at Washington’s highway systems. The police are on high alert. About 50 tactical vehicles were also approved to be placed at traffic posts, in addition up to 300 National Guard troops from outside of Washington will assist if needed.
U.S House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she is confident in the security plans to protect Washington around time for President Biden’s State of The Union speech next Tuesday, though there are no plans yet on going into D.C.’s District itself. A People’s Convoy will arrive March 5th with support from local police departments across several states including Maryland and Virginia who have been collaborating together.
Brian Brase, a truck driver and one of the organizers, said regardless of where the trucks stop, “we’re not going anywhere” until the group’s demands are met. The organizer of this event says that he expects thousands, perhaps tens or even hundreds of thousands will participate in it. They are calling the caravan bipartisan and led by truckers with support from various ethnic minorities and religious faiths involved too.
Last week, California lifted its universal mask requirements for all citizens. They still require vaccinated people to wear protection when entering high-risk areas like public transit and schools but it is a huge step forward from before where only those with allergies were required by law under state law.
PENNSYLVANIA CONVOY
The convoy left Scranton, Pennsylvania – Biden’s hometown- on Wednesday morning and was headed to the Beltway during afternoon hours. The organizer of this protest, Bob Bolus told WJLA that his convoy has no intention of breaking laws or blocking traffic. However, if their demands regarding pandemic mandates and the cost of fuel are not met then they may end up doing so anyway.
“They are not going to intimidate us and they are not going to threaten us. We’re the power, not them,” said Bolus, a trucker who owns a tow truck company.
The recent protests in Ottawa, Canada began to block streets and block the busiest land crossing between Canada and United States for six days. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers so that he could end these demonstrations peacefully without any injuries on either side of this conflict. The number of people dying from coronavirus in America has fallen since a month ago, though almost 2 thousand new cases are still being reported each day and the total death count is approaching 1 million.