Trucker convoy plans to circle DC Beltway twice: report

A trucker convoy and supporters who oppose COVID-19 mandates reached Washington, D.C.’s Beltway on Sunday morning in an effort to clog traffic and urge lawmakers to lift coronavirus restrictions.

The “People’s Convoy” left from Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland at around 9:30 a.m. and began heading down a single lane of Interstate 81. The truckers planned to circle the Beltway two times before heading back to Hagerstown Speedway, according to a Facebook page for the group.

A video of the convoy posted on the Facebook page showed trucks passing under a large American flag held by two cranes as supporters stood along a road waving to drivers. 

Officials and police in D.C., Maryland and Virginia said they are monitoring the protest closely and have advised the public to use alternate modes of transportation when possible. Officials said most of the activity is expected to occur on the Beltway. 

(Thread 1/3) Traffic Advisory: The District of Columbia is monitoring demonstration activity that will begin to disrupt travel on roadways in and around the National Capital Region. The majority of this activity is expected to occur on the beltway, but could disrupt other areas. pic.twitter.com/rxKYbrf4s8

— Alert DC (@AlertDC) March 6, 2022

People’s Convoy organizer Brian Brase, 37, said the group intends to repeat the drive every day this week until its demands are met, adding that it plans to increase the number of loops around the Beltway each day, according to The Washington Post.

“We are law-abiding citizens that are just exercising our rights to this protest,” said Brase, noting that “every day is going to elevate what we do.”

The convoy is reminiscent of truckers in Canada who protested the vaccine requirement to cross the U.S.-Canada border, which caused significant blockages along the border.