Capitol Police said they are planning for “extra security” ahead of the State of the Union on March 1 in light of potential protests by anti-vax trucker protests that began in Canada and may spread to the U.S.
In a statement on Friday, the Capitol Police (USCP) said that law enforcement agencies are “aware of plans for a series of truck convoys” arriving in Washington, D.C. around the time of the joint session of Congress for President Biden’s State of the Union (SOTU) address on March 1.
“As with any demonstration, the USCP will facilitate lawful First Amendment activity,” USCP said. “The USCP is closely coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including DC’s Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Park Police, the United States Secret Service and other allied agencies to include the DC National Guard.”
The USCP added that it is working with the Secret Service to plan for the upcoming SOTU.
“The temporary inner-perimeter fence is part of those ongoing discussions and remains an option, however at this time no decision has been made,” USCP said.
On Saturday morning, the USCP warned of new security measures in plan “due to the Truckers Convoy,” according to a memo sent to congressional members and staff obtained by The Uprising.
The new USCP memo confirmed security measures for potential convoy protests that have gone into effect ahead of the SOTU, which includes road closures and a new security checkpoint near the Capitol building “until further notice.”
The latest statements by the USCP follow a bulletin by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week that reportedly warned of truckers who oppose vaccine mandates taking their protests from Canada to the U.S. DHS said the trucker-led protests could potentially make their way from California to D.C. in time for the SOTU.
After weeks of protests led by Canadian truckers opposed to the country’s new proof-of-vax border mandate roiled the capital city of Ottawa, police on Saturday cleared out the protesters downtown after protests turned violent. Ottawa police tweeted that it arrested protesters with smoke grenades and fireworks and wearing body armor.
Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act amid ongoing trucker protests that had shut down some major border crossings nationwide.
The protests had forced operations by major auto companies to scale back or halt operations as supply chains are disrupted.
The so-called “Freedom Convoy of 2022″ protests began weeks ago in Ottawa by truckers who oppose a new COVID-19 requirement that mandates them to be fully vaccinated upon reentry or face a two-week quarantine. Though the majority of Canadian truckers were already vaccinated, they were previously exempt from entry requirements.
The protests gained the attention of right-wingers in the U.S. Last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) expressed his enthusiasm for Canadian truckers’ protests, telling the Daily Signal that he hopes the so-called “Freedom Convoy” travels down south to clog up American cities as well.
