A truck convoy heading to Washington, D.C., later this week to protest pandemic mandates and restrictions plans to “shut down” the Capital Beltway, a 64-mile highway that surrounds the capital city.
According to FOX 13, Bob Bolus, owner of a truck parts and towing business in Scranton, Pa., who helped organize one of the convoys, said he will leave Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning and head to the Beltway.
“We will be along the Beltway where the Beltway will be shut down,” Bob Bolus said.
“I’ll give you an analogy of that of a giant boa constrictor,” he added. “That basically squeezes you, chokes you and it swallows you, and that’s what we’re going to do the D.C.”
When asked if he understood the impact that blocking the Beltway would have on locals, Bolus said at least one lane would be left open for emergency vehicles, but commuters expect long delays.
“There will be a lane open for emergency vehicles, they’ll be able to get in and out and all that,” Bolus said. “We will not compromise anybody’s safety or health, one way or the other. As far as if they can’t get to work, geez that’s too bad.”
While Bolus is unsure how many other truckers plan to join him, several other convoys have been announced, including Freedom Convoy USA, which was organized in part by Maryland gubernatorial candidate Kyle Sefcik and is scheduled to arrive in D.C. for President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union Address.
FOX reported that D.C. police are preparing for the protests, including limiting time off and placing around 500 officers on civil disturbance units.
“There will be disruptions to traffic, that kind of thing,” said Police Chief Robert Contee. “I think we need to be very candid with the public about some of the expectations based upon what we’ve seen in Ottawa.”
State police in neighboring Virginia and Maryland are also preparing for the trucker demonstrations.
“MSP is aware and has been in contact with our law enforcement partners in the region,” the Maryland State Police said in a statement.
“The Virginia State Police has been and continues to monitor the situation and to communicate with our National Capital Region local, state and federal partners. This is standard practice any time the potential exists for a significant protest that could disrupt the safe and efficient flow of traffic on Virginia highways,” said VSP in a statement.
The U.S. Capitol Police announced on Friday that security fencing will once again be erected around the United States Capitol grounds in anticipation of the trucker convoy protests.
The trucker convoys are expected to resemble the peaceful “Freedom Convoy” protest in Ottawa, Canada, which was recently brutally shut down after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act.
