The American version of the “Freedom Convoy” protests that initiated in Canada last month is gaining ground. On Wednesday, a caravan protesting against coronavirus mandates started heading from California to Washington D.C.
American truckers come out against the vaccine mandate
A truck driver from Texas, Jeff Sbadberg, who is part of the convoy, noted people came out to protest and bring America back to the good days. He was driving a truck full of anti-Biden slogans like “Let’s Go, Brandon,” “We Will Not Comply,” and others.
Likewise, the spokesman of the convoy, Brian Brase, asserted as they move toward Washington, more truckers are likely to join them; the convoy will swell big-time before reaching its destination.
Freedom Convoy USA is about to start! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/o4ojRvjasF
— Art TakingBack 🇺🇸 (@ArtValley818_) February 23, 2022
The biggest demand of the protesters is the government must roll back the vaccine mandates and mask mandates immediately.
Similarly, protesters want Congress to start investigating the origins of the pandemic, which can be traced back to a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan.
When these sorts of protests started in Canada, authorities in America started worrying about the same sorts of demonstrations in the United States as well
Thus, law enforcement agencies warned the protesters that any disruption in law and order would be tackled with a severe response.
However, the group behind the protests already vowed demonstrators are aiming to remain peaceful, adding the convoy would not enter Washington.
According to California Highway Patrol’s statement, blocking highways during protests is unlawful. If anyone is caught in such an activity, the authorities can take action against them, ranging from issuing citations to conducting arrests.
The Capitol Hill police acknowledged people’s right to protest, claiming it is a lawful First Amendment activity. However, police asserted a fence would be placed around Congress.
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense announced the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard personnel to regulate traffic in the upcoming days.
American freedom convoy is supposed to help healthcare workers
Unlike Canadian truckers, American drivers are not subjected to any vaccine mandate.
However, the spokesman of the convoy claimed the protests are to express solidarity with healthcare workers and other employees who are the victims of vaccination mandates.
Other smaller convoys are also likely to march toward Washington, starting from different regions of the country.
We are live!! We start our Convoy on February 25th! We have the dates, times, routes, pit stops and have everything ready for the March 1st arrival on the National Mall, DC! #freedomconvoyusa2022 #FreedomConvoy2022 pic.twitter.com/llrmdu1HOJ
— Freedom Convoy USA 2022 (@FCUSA2022) February 18, 2022
The Conservative Political Action Committee extended its support for a convoy which is supposed to start from Ohio on March 6.
The organizers claimed they are nonpartisan people willing to defend the freedom of choice; however, most organizations supporting these demonstrations are inclined towards the right.
In Canada, these protests ended when Joe Biden asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to clear the trade route between America and Canada. This encouraged the liberal government of Canada to arrest protesters en masse.
