“It is time to reactivate the country”, said the statement from the organizers of the “People’s Caravan”, inspired by the mobilization that has recently paralyzed Canada’s capital, and activities by truck drivers. , have called to express their dissatisfaction for discontinuing vaccines. and the use of masks among other measures promoted by Joe Biden’s federal government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In a stadium parking lot in Adelanto, a small town in Southern California, hundreds of people gathered to begin mobilization, despite the 1C cold. Many people waved flags and banners with the word “Azadi”.
Organizers launched a rally in which participants questioned the measures being used globally to tackle the pandemic.
Health services adviser Paul Alexander during former President Donald Trump’s administration, an advocate of herd immunity to fight the virus, said that “vaccines have failed”, despite the scientifically proven efficacy and efficiency of vaccine use. Security. ,
To applause, Alexander urged supporters not to immunize themselves against the virus that has killed nearly a million Americans.
Although organizers announced on their website that the movement was non-partisan, slogans questioning President Joe Biden’s election victory over Trump dominated the rally.
After the speeches, a few dozen truck drivers got into their vehicles and started the caravan.
Organizers urged protesters to act “peacefully” and urged them to continue contributing to the movement, which has raised more than $460,000 for the rally, which is due to arrive on the outskirts of Washington on March 5, but ” Not Washington itself.” ,
Although officials announced measures to bolster security in the capital, the memory of what happened on January 6, 2021, is still vivid, when supporters of former President Donald Trump tried to block the certification of the Democratic election. attacked the Capitol.
The Pentagon’s communications secretary, John Kirby, said in a statement, “The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guards and local security forces have requested reinforcements.”
– “We are back to normal” –
Donald Trump’s supporter Shane Kloss arrived in a caravan from Idaho, 1,300 kilometers away, on Wednesday and said he hoped to reach Washington with his wife and protest “peacefully”.
“I think we’re all here for a different reason, but it all boils down to one thing: freedom,” said the 48-year-old class, who wrote “Legalize Freedom” on his car.
“It’s time for our government to understand that the people want that freedom back in the Constitution,” said Klass, wearing a Trump cap and carrying a suitcase with an American flag.
“Let’s get back to normal,” said one of the truck drivers ahead of the caravan, Brian Brace.
“We are protesting the state of emergency that has been imposed and we look forward to ending all Mask and Immunization Acts for federal workers and health professionals,” he said.
“Because of the vaccine decree for me, but bigger than that,” said one Los Angeles nurse, who declined to be named.
“I can’t work at my health center without filing a religious exception [para no ser vacinada]”, said the young woman, who had traveled with her husband for two hours to Adelanto.
Vaccines against COVID-19 are free and widely available in the United States, but with the use of masks and social distancing, they have become a dividing point for society, with many opposing vaccination and health measures. Huh.
On her car, in addition to the American flag and the phrase “Nurses for Medical Freedom”, she also carried the Canadian flag. “They [os canadenses] They were treated like terrorists even though they did the right thing,” said the nurse.
He said, “I came here with the intention of protesting peacefully, but I understand that wherever people stand, there will be a government reaction. And this may be our last chance to protest, as for Canadians.” Was.”
In Canada, the last protesters were removed by police over the weekend, after three weeks of protests against sanitary measures, which included blockades at border crossings with the United States and the capture of the city of Ottawa by truck.
Another caravan of truck drivers from Pennsylvania in the eastern United States is scheduled to arrive on the outskirts of Washington this Wednesday, while the portal “Great American Patriot Project” announced a number of itineraries with the same destination in the first week of March. will depart. ,
