A trucker caravan that left California for Washington, D.C. on Friday to protest the coronavirus mandates, arrived in Las Vegas early Saturday with just five trucks, organizers said, prompting them to abandon the convoy and instruct members to team up with other anti-terrorists. – mandate groups are sent to the capital.
The caravan, called Freedom Convoy USA 2022, was one of several in the United States modeled after the protests in Canada. who left this week Washington to demand, among other things, an end to pandemic national emergency this began in March 2020 and ended government regulations requiring masks and vaccinations.
According to his facebook page, the Freedom Convoy’s route began on Friday in Los Angeles and was scheduled to make stops in Salt Lake City, Denver and other major cities before arriving in Washington on March 1 in time for President Biden’s State of the Union address. But it turned out that the group could not keep its supporters for a long time.
“There are two other convoys that are having a massive turnout and are heading into the DC area as we speak,” the organizers said. wrote on Facebook at the beginning of Saturdayreferring to two groups called “People’s Convoy” and “Texas Convoy”.
“We decide to send all truckers scheduled to meet on our routes towards Washington to the event on the National Mall or join the convoys mentioned above, as they are about to merge into one,” the organizers wrote.
The decision caused a mixed reaction.
“I spent days trying to organize a rally in support of our truckers. I have three tiny kids and I work full time and I stretched and then made myself look so stupid. It all hurts me a lot,” one user commented on the post.
“I think that all columns combined will have a much greater impact than a few small columns. The more the better,” wrote a second person.
Another convoy left on Wednesday from Adelanto, California, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles. About 40 truckers left, and the “Make America Great Again” rally attracted about a hundred more vehicles.
Many of those behind the demonstration appeared to be linked to far-right organizations and activists, and some were linked to the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Brian Brace, a convoy spokesman and truck driver from Ohio, said the motorcade is expected to grow as the trucks move across the country. “We believe that tens of thousands of people will join us,” he said.
The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to prepare convoys and help manage traffic during any demonstrations. It is reported by the Associated Press..