Hundreds of protesters demonstrated their opposition to COVID restrictions in the outskirts of Washington on Sunday.
The "People's Convoy," a demonstration inspired by the trucker protest in Canada, marched around the outskirts of Washington on Sunday to express opposition to the U.S. government's continued COVID restrictions. Hundreds of trucks, recreational vehicles, and cars gathered after they launched in California and drew followers and participants from all around the country.
According to Reuters, the group is calling for an end to all COVID restrictions. Organizers of the "People's Convoy" said that on Monday, they will once more slowly drive through the Beltway, the 64-mile highway that wraps around the city. On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of vehicles participating in the "People's Convoy" gathered at the Hagerstown Speedway, a Maryland racetrack about 80 miles or 129 kilometers northwest from downtown Washington.
On Sunday morning, protesters of the "People's Convoy" then drove slowly around the Beltway, honking horns as people on the ground waved American flags, a witness reported. The convoy was more than two miles long and caused a slowdown of traffic at some points along the Beltway on Sunday morning, but did not bring traffic to a standstill. The "People's Convoy" then made their way back to the Hagerstown Speedway in the afternoon, as per messages on the convoy's Telegram channel.
The impact of the "People's Convoy" trucker protest has been minimized in the last week as COVID restrictions had begun to lift across major cities in the U.S. following the rollback of mask mandates and other measures against the coronavirus. New COVID case numbers have also seen a dramatic decline across the country.
During last Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Joe Biden remarked that the U.S. is entering a new phase of the pandemic, free of business lockdowns, school closures, and other COVID restrictions.
But on Friday night, a "People's Convoy" trucker protest participant and leader declared to a cheering crowd, "D.C., the government, whomever, can claim that they have all this opposition for us waiting in D.C.. But that flag on the back of my truck will go down to Constitution Avenue between the White House and the Washington Monument."
U.S. federal law enforcement agencies said they were coordinating with state and local authorities in preparation for the "People's Convoy" trucker protest. According to Breitbart, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland have both expressed their support for the peaceful protest.
In a statement, Gov. Youngkin's office said, "We remain dedicated to ensuring that individuals can express their first amendment rights while continuing the safe flow of traffic for all travelers."
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that more than 90% of the entire U.S. population are now allowed to forego wearing face masks, CNBC reported. Facemasks are now only required on planes, trains, and other modes of public transportation. In addition, the mask mandate for airplanes are set to expire on March 18.
New data shows that COVID hospitalizations have decreased by up to 77% compared to the peak level of the Omicron wave's spread across the U.S. Only 35,000 patients are hospitalized with COVID as of Thursday, compared to 153,000 on January 20.
During Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Biden remarked, "With 75% of adult Americans fully vaccinated and hospitalizations down by 77%, most Americans can remove their masks, return to work, stay in the classroom, and move forward safely."
