In response to a report that American truckers could follow the lead of their Canadian counterparts and clog parts of the I-95 Beltway near Washington, D.C., a Democrat congressman from Arizona has a solution for the potential peaceful protest.
“Perfect time to impound and give the trucks to small trucking companies looking to expand their business,” Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-07).
Perfect time to impound and give the trucks to small trucking companies looking to expand their business. https://t.co/1pHURh0hbr
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) February 22, 2022
According to the original story, posted by reporter Jess Rodriguez, authorities are concerned that truckers could protest vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions, following the lead of Canadian truckers who some say wreaked havoc in their capital city of Ottawa for weeks by simply parking their rigs.
“Law enforcement agencies in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. are monitoring what could be a number of trucker convoys coming to D.C.,” the report said. “Truckers apparently spurred on by the recent protests in Canada want their voices heard, but the extent of the protests and how disruptive they may be is still unclear.”
The report noted that while some truckers have threatened to clog the roads, “there have been no specifics.”
Gallego’s office did not immediately return a comment request.
Last week, a convoy of truckers called “Convoy to Save America” departed from Tennessee to Buffalo, New York.
“We are a grassroots movement, mamma bears, papa bears, patriots, of all denominations, of all races, of all religions, of all political views. It’s about getting together as Americans, getting away from the divide, and allowing us to be Americans again and free,” Pennie Fay, a member of the group leaving from Nashville, reportedly said.
Several such grassroots organizations have threatened action, but so far, a major movement has not materialized.
The truckers in Canada, part of the “Canadian Freedom Convoy,” were eventually brutalized at the orders of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They were disbursed and many were arrested, including the convoy’s leader, who now faces up to 10 years in jail and is being held without bond.
In response to the Canadian government’s crackdown on the peaceful protests, one apparent trucker called for a mass strike in all industries in a now-viral video.
“Canadians’ breaking point came when Justin Trudeau effectively put tens of thousands of Canadian truckers out of work with needless vaccine mandates that do not serve the interests of Canadians on any level, especially those who supply Canadians with everything they need,” the man said in the video.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Freedom Convoy” by GoToVan. CC BY 2.0.
