Convoys To DC!

A trucker protest is expected to make it to Washington, DC.

The far-right trucker convoys are coming to Washington, DC. But are the protesting vaccine mandates, socialism, transgender children playing sports, inflation, gas prices, the election, Justin Trudeau or Joe Biden?

What is in the hodge podge of truckers coming to interrupt the Washington, DC metro area?

The feds are monitoring an extremist group's protest ahead of the president's State of the Union address.

This group, The People's Convoy has become a theme after the Freedom Truckers plotted to stop travel across the Ambassador Bridge and block downtown Ottawa streets.

The Canadian authorities managed to break up the three week rally which attempted to harm Canadian and American economies. They claimed the reasons for the protests were because of the COVID mandates.

The People's Convoy is expected to be in town on March 5. The group left Adelanto Stadium, CA on the morning of Feb. 23 and is expected to make stops in eight cities before arriving in Hagerstown, Maryland on the evening of March 4.

"It’s time for elected officials to work with the blue-collar and white-collar workers of America and restore accountability and liberty –by lifting all mandates and ending the state of emergency – as COVID is well-in-hand now, and Americans need to get back to work in a free and unrestricted manner," the group said in a press release.

The Department of Defense approved that request late Tuesday night, allotting 700 National Guard troops for service to this matter. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the request Tuesday from the District of Columbia government and the U.S. Capitol Police, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday night.

Guard members will not carry guns, the Pentagon said.

Officials have set roadblocks and barriers up around the Capitol, using garbage and dump trucks to block several intersections.

DC Police Chief Robert Contee also spoke last week about the potential for a trucker protest in the District.

"I mean, you think about the impact of this, on I-95 a couple of weeks ago, a snowstorm with two or three tractor-trailers made for a terrible situation there," Contee said, referring to January's weather-related shutdown of I-95 in Virginia. "So we're going to plan as best we can, work with our partners, both local and federal, to do whatever we can to mitigate it."

Conspiracy convoys are the newest attempt to undermine Biden.

"We'll be informing the public as we get closer to that time, with recommendations," Chief Contee said last week. "I think we have to be realistic about what we could potentially see. Will there be disruptions to traffic, that kind of thing. And I think we need to be candid with the public about what some of the expectations are based upon what we've seen in Ottawa, what we might see here in the District.”

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) says she will meet with USCP Chief Tom Manger to discuss security preparations for the truck convoys Wednesday.

The Department of Defense released the following statement Wednesday morning:

"The Secretary of Defense has approved the provision of 400 District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) personnel and 50 vehicles to support the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia at designated traffic posts.

This support was requested by the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency for DoD. DCNG personnel will be prepared to assist Metropolitan Police officers at traffic posts as soon as operationally and logistically feasible through March 7, 2022.

MAGA/Proud Boy rapper Forgiato Blow will be there.

The Secretary of Defense also approved the provision of up to 300 National Guard personnel from neighboring states to support the United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers with traffic control operations at designated perimeter posts.

This support was requested by the USCP. National Guard personnel from neighboring states will be prepared to assist USCP officers as soon as operationally and logistically feasible through March 7, 2022.

The National Guard personnel will be in Title 32 duty status for both requests (i.e., Federal pay status). DC National Guard personnel will remain under the command and control of the Commanding General of the DCNG and the Secretary of the Army. The Commanding General of the DC National Guard will serve as the coordinating official for State National Guard personnel supporting the USCP, who will remain under command and control of their respective Governors.

Supporting members of the National Guard will not be issued firearms and they will not engage in the surveillance of U.S. or foreign persons, although they are authorized to report any observed criminal activity to appropriate law enforcement personnel. Although participating service members will conduct traffic control, they will not affect arrests or conduct other such law enforcement activities. The Metropolitan Police Department and the USCP are responsible for conducting searches, seizures, and arrests within their respective jurisdictions. National Guard personnel will adhere to the DC National Guard rules for the use of force.”