"A group of US truckers embarked in a convoy of vehicles on Wednesday on a 2,500 mile cross-country trip from Barstow, California to Washington DC to protest against coronavirus restrictions."

"The group, which is calling itself the 'people’s convoy,' is one of several starting from different parts of the country and due to start arriving in the US capital at various points through to late next week – all inspired by the demonstrations that recently paralyzed Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, for weeks....  Some of the trucker groups are scheduled to arrive in time for Joe Biden’s State of the Union address next Tuesday, 1 March.... The Pentagon said on Tuesday it had approved 400 national guard troops from the District of Columbia, who would not carry weapons, to help at traffic posts from this Saturday through 7 March. About 50 large tactical vehicles were also approved to be placed at traffic posts. In addition, up to 300 national guard troops from outside of Washington were approved to come to the city to assist at traffic posts if needed. Brian Brase, a truck driver who is one of the organizers, said that, regardless of where the trucks stop, 'we’re not going anywhere' until the group’s demands are met.... We plan to stay a while and hope they don’t escalate it the way Trudeau did with his disgusting government overreach'... Organisers bill the convoy as non-partisan, trucker-led, and supported by a wide range of ethnic minorities and religious faiths. However, as in Canada, significant elements of the protest appeared to attract a rightwing crowd...."

From "US trucker convoy gathers for cross-country trip to protest Covid rules/Group calling itself the ‘people’s convoy’ is one of several due to arrive in capital, similar to the demonstrations in Ottawa" (The Guardian).