Is The Trucker Blockade Coming To America?
Feb. 14 2022, Published 3:49 p.m. ET
The trucker protest in Canada has inspired similar demonstrations around the world, including in the United States.
The weeklong "Freedom Convoy" in Windsor, Ontario, recently shut down the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit, Michigan, which significantly disrupted trade and traffic.
The truckers were protesting because they object to Canada's COVID-19 rules – specifically, a mandate requiring drivers entering the country to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Failure to be vaccinated means testing and possible quarantine requirements.
But the discord is not specific to Canadian truckers, as hundreds of protestors gathered this weekend near the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York, which connects with the Ontario city of Fort Erie.
The demonstrators flew American flags, carried banners that said things like "my body, my choice" and "do not comply," and honked their horns.
Among the organizers of the event was a group called Convoy to Save America.
"We watched the joy spread as everyone came together to stand for the freedom to choose," said Pennie Fay, one of the group's founders. "Convoy to Save America carries that same message of unity, togetherness, and peace."
Fay said the group's demands are simple: "no mandates, no mask rules, no more lies."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the demonstrations, saying, "We're prepared for any impacts from protests near the Canadian border. We are ready to address any potential travel and commerce disruptions and also ensure we can protect everyone’s right to peaceful protest."
Another group, the People's Convoy, is planning another gathering starting in Los Angeles, California, and ending in Washington, D.C.
Some U.S. leaders – like former Republican President Donald Trump and Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul – are supportive of such protests.
Trump said he was proud to see his name on flags being waved during the U.S. demonstrations, while Paul said civil disobedience can "clog things up, make people think" about the mandates.
Additionally, he feels the U.S. officials who placed the mandates on Canadian truckers crossing the border are partially to blame.
"Some of this, we started," said Paul. "The truckers are annoyed. They're riding in a cab by themselves, most of them for eight, 10-hour long hauls, and they just want to do what they want to do. It's their own business."