Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas joined the "People's Convoy" on Thursday as the U.S. extension of the Canadian "Freedom Convoy" entered its fourth day of protesting as they continued to oppose the government's COVID-19 mandates.
The lawmaker shared video and photographs on social media that showed him riding shotgun in one tractor-trailer. He could be seen waving to fellow protesters who also attended the convoy and continued to express his gratitude to people who showed up, praising them for "standing up" for freedom.
People's Convoy
In a statement, Cruz gave appreciation to every trucker who was standing up for the freedom of every man, woman, and child in the United States. In a later post, he also praised the People's Convoy for speaking out against government tyrants who he said should not be forcing people to make private health care decisions.
On Tuesday, several members of the People's Convoy met with Cruz and Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin at the Capital. During the meeting, they voiced out their opposition to the government's COVID-19 mandates and other issues relating to the coronavirus pandemic, as per Fox News.
While outside the Capitol as the rest of the convoy circled the Beltway, Cruz said that the government's policies were cruel and immoral, saying that lawmakers should let people live their lives. Organizers of the convoy have gathered support by saying that mandates were an infringement on their freedoms.
In front of a crowd at the Hagerstown Speedway, the group's organizer, Brian Brase, said that there was no way the government would ignore a senator riding in the lead truck of the convoy. He said that Cruz's actions were basically an endorsement of what they were doing.
According to the Washington Post, Maryland and Virginia law enforcement authorities said that there have been no major incidents stemming from the People's Convoy's circling of the Beltway. The only incidents reported were some minor congestion. On Thursday, the Maryland State Police issued a warning to one pickup driver for impeding the flow of traffic on southbound Interstate 270 in Montgomery County.
Opposing COVID-19 Mandates
Before the convoy, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning, prompting members of the National Guard to be deployed, along with hundreds of city police officers. The convoy's organizers said they will continue protesting until all of the mandates have been lifted.
The protesters usually begin their movement in the mornings, except for Wednesday, due to forecasts of rain and snow. Hundreds of vehicles could be seen leaving the speedway amid a chorus of honks. The convoy heads down Interstate 70 and makes a lap or two around the 64-mile Capital Beltway at the legal speed limit around midday.
The vehicles then return to the speedway in the evening, which has since become a combination tent revival and tailgate party. Attendees have set up a communal food station, a barber, vendors selling pro-Trump merchandise, huge stacks of boxes, containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine books, people in costumes, and livestreamers all around the area, the New York Times reported.
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