A convoy of truckers and others who oppose President Biden, vaccine mandates, and lots of other stuff got off the Capital Beltway Monday and drove up I-395 toward downtown DC, where police say they’ve closed roads and exits into downtown.
They're here. Truck convoy on I-395N just before the 14th Street Bridge. Quite loud. Police have access to downtown DC blocked. @WTOPtraffic @WTOP @hhowardWTOP @ARLnowDOTcom #ConvoyForFreedom2022 #TruckersConvoy2022 #police pic.twitter.com/N66ib62k92
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 14, 2022
Motorists should expect delays, authorities say.
(2/2) The Metropolitan Police Department has closed a number of streets and highway exits in order to keep traffic moving safely through the area. These rolling road closures are occurring in real-time as they are needed, and will be lifted as soon as they are no longer necessary
— Alert DC (@AlertDC) March 14, 2022
The expedition to DC follows apparent frustration from members of the convoy—which has been camped out in Hagerstown, Maryland, for more than a week—stemming from the fact that very few people in Washington were paying attention to their protests. Up to this point convoy members have circled the Beltway, slowing down some commuters’ progress but otherwise having little effect. Researcher Sara Aniano of Monmouth University reports that some in the convoy pushed for more visibility by getting onto I-395, where police have deployed resources for more than a week in anticipation of their arrival.
The next speaker (keep forgetting his name) explains the route for the convoy today, saying they'll change the route to "get a better glimpse of what the swamp looks like", saying they will briefly exit onto 395 to go past the Pentagon/Washington Monument. >>
— Sara Aniano (@coolfacejane) March 14, 2022
The “People’s Convoy” hoped to hold a two-week-long demonstration on the National Mall, the Washington Post reports, but were unable to find dates that didn’t conflict with previously arranged events. A spokesperson for the National Park Service tells Washingtonian the People’s Convoy applied on Friday for a permit to rally on the National Mall but withdrew the application two days later. The group’s website still says it has no plans to go into DC.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
