'Freedom Convoy' spinoff arrives in Maryland with about 1,000 vehicles and unclear plans

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‘Freedom Convoy’ spinoff arrives in Maryland with about 1,000 vehicles and unclear plans

The group, which is protesting vaccine mandates, previously planned to arrive in the D.C. Beltway area Saturday.

By Ellie Silverman and Emily Davies
Today at 5:00 a.m. EST



HAGERSTOWN, MD - MARCH 4: Supporters cheer on and wave flags as the Freedom Convoy arrives at the Hagerstown Speedway on March 4, 2022 in Hagerstown, Md. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

They drove pick-up trucks, RVs, 18-wheelers and minivans, some making a 2,500 mile journey from Southern California. More joined as the convoy passed through Amarillo, Tex., or rallied at a farm equipment supplier in Monrovia, Ind. And some came in Friday, as about 1,000 vehicles converged at a speedway in Hagerstown, Md. under the rallying cry of “freedom.”

The truckers and supporters are now the closest they have been to the nation’s capital, where they want to hold lawmakers “accountable” for the government’s pandemic-responses. But it’s not clear what they will do next to accomplish their goals.

On Friday night, Brian Brase, a convoy organizer, looked out at a crowd, some dressed in red-white-and-blue beanies and waving American flags, and told them to celebrate the distance they had traveled. But they would have to wait longer to learn their final destination and what to do when they get there. ... "Well, we're going to do something,” he said, laughing. “What this is is yet to be determined. Please be patient.”

The self-titled “People’s Convoy” has emphasized they will not be going into D.C. and previously said they would aim for the Beltway area on March 5. Brase announced Friday morning to supporters in Lore City, Ohio, that those plans had changed. They plan to stay in Hagerstown for another rally Saturday before probably targeting another location “only two miles from the Beltway,” he said, without offering specifics.

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Peter Hermann contributed to this report.

By Ellie Silverman
Ellie Silverman covers protest movements, activism and local news. At The Post, she has also covered local crime and courts. She has previously reported on retail, breaking news and general assignment stories for the Philadelphia Inquirer, her hometown paper. She graduated from the University of Maryland, where she reported for the Diamondback. Twitter https://twitter.com/esilverman11

By Emily Davies
Emily Davies is a reporter working on the local desk in D.C. Twitter https://twitter.com/ELaserDavies