Trucker Convoy Taking A Day Off Due To Rain, Group Says

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — The trucker convoy that has circled the Capital Beltway to protest COVID-19 mandates said that it wouldn't be driving Wednesday because of safety concerns as rain moves through the region.

A post in the People's Convoy's Facebook page called on its followers to instead call their members of Congress and demand an end to "emergency powers or they will lose your vote! Call daily! This will take all of us!!! We need everyone across America to stand up!!"

Organizers also urged supporters not in DC to rally in their states, go to state capitals and make calls to lawmakers.

Leaders from the group met with Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson Wednesday.

"We're not going anywhere. We're not going to leave. We're going to stay put," said Brian Brase, an organizer of the People's Convoy, on Tuesday, according to The Washington Post. "We're going to keep doing what we're doing until we start getting more meetings like we just had today."

Another group of truckers met Tuesday with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), The Washington Post said.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D. C.) told the Post before the meeting that she hopes the group is satisfied after talking with Cruz and Johnson.

"It looks like they understand that blocking traffic doesn't help their cause, whatever their cause is," Norton said to the Post's reporters. "It seems their cause has dissolved with masks coming down, and COVID no longer quite the problem it has been nationwide."

There have been minimal traffic disruptions with the convoy and no reported incidents, Maryland State Police told Patch.

The convoy has been parking and staying overnight in Hagerstown, Maryland, according to the group's website.

"We have not had any disruptions in the city other than a little more traffic at times coming through on Rt. 40," said Hagerstown Police Chief Paul “Joey” Kifer in an email to Patch. "Even with that it has not been enough of an increase to cause any problems. The speedway where they are mustering is west of our city by approximately 5 miles and the route they take to come and go is also outside of the city to our west."

Organizers of the trucker convoy have demanded an end to the national state of emergency issued by former President Donald Trump and extended by President Joe Biden, which allowed mandates such as face mask requirements in businesses, schools and air travel. Protesters also want Congress to investigate the government response to the pandemic, WTOP reported.

The convoy’s website says they want to “Restore Our Nation’s Constitution.” Mandatory vaccination, for example, has been constitutional for more than 100 years, WTOP said.