Trucker Protests May Affect Super Bowl Weekend: Report

LOS ANGELES, CA — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is warning that a trucker convoy protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates is likely coming to the United States and may affect Super Bowl LVI in California on Sunday, according to a report from Yahoo News.

In a warning sent to law enforcement and public safety agencies nationwide Tuesday, the department said it had received information that a convoy of truckers plans to block roads in major cities in the U.S., according to the report.

DHS said the protests — similar to the ones occurring across the border in Canada that are causing disruptions to the U.S. auto industry — could interfere with transportation, federal government and law enforcement operations because of resulting traffic jams and counterprotests, according to the report.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas met with the NFL and officials from the state of California and the city of Inglewood to detail DHS operations aimed at ensuring the safety of players, employees and fans during the Super Bowl, the agency said in a release Wednesday.

More than 500 DHS employees will be involved in the safety and security plan for the game, according to the release. DHS is using 12 of its agencies to provide security for the Super Bowl, including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Secret Service.

The U.S. automotive industry already has felt the effects of the protests in Canada. Several companies have temporarily shut down plants on both sides of the border as a protest from a group calling itself the Freedom Truck Convoy has shut down the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Canada. The bridge carries approximately 25 percent of trade between the U.S. and Canada.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.