Truck off: convoys, coups and protests

[Ozlsn]

There has been some discussion of the convoys going on in various threads but I thought putting it together in one thread might help. At present there is:

The Ottawa protests in Canada, which have been blocking a bridge into the US. These protests have been going for several weeks and are nominally against the requirement for people working in the trucking industry to get vaccinated. Police are moving in to clear the bridge today, which is a novel change from doing very little about the protests in Ottawa city centre (which are ongoing), and which are apparently spreading to other cities.

There are also protests in Canberra, which are also anti-mandate, with a grab bag of demands that the federal government stop state governments from doing things thrown in (they seem to not fully understand the breakdown between state and federal). Their alleged list of demands includes a that parents be informed about medical treatment for children before giving consent, which already happens. 

In a capital that most people have actually heard about there are also current anti-restriction convoy protests in Paris. 

I am finding the global organisation of this very interesting.

[fraurosena]

There was a trucker demonstration in Den Haag (The Hague) yesterday (Saturday). It was not exactly large, even accounting for the comparatively  small country we have.

Although annoying (they blocked the streets in the city center) the protest was peaceful.

Despite earlier assertions on Telegram that they would stay up to two weeks if necessary, they started dispersing at 15.30 and all had left by 18.30. Two arrests were made for unruly conduct and some fines were dealt for minor destruction of property.

They announced they would be back today, but my bet is most people will go home. Why?

They are protesting corona measures. O”But last week, the government released a letter stating they were planning to lift many of the most impactful measures, such as social distancing and restrictive opening times for shops, restaurants, theatres and nightclubs. This would be officially announced at the planned press conference next Tuesday. The government has been effecting the gradual lifting of measures for weeks now, and this ‘freedom protest’ is laughably redundant.

Even delusional protestors will understand it doesn’t serve any purpose if the thing you are protesting about has already been resolved. And people ridiculing you for it, and it not getting much attention in the press (the situation in Ukraine is more prominent) can’t help either.

But even so. It’s scary that there even was this weak and fizzled protest in the first place, peaceful or not. They’re communicating via Telegram, which I gather most of these so-called freedom protestors are doing all over the world. They all get their information from conspiracy theory pages on FB. It has all the hallmarks of somebody pulling the strings behind the scenes.

It’s time the world does something about that, and soon.

[Ozlsn]

2 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Even delusional protestors will understand it doesn’t serve any purpose if the thing you are protesting about has already been resolved

... not in Melbourne. Seriously, we had people protesting lockdown two weeks after it had finished. Folks are dumb where I come from, apparently.

[Xan]

In the movie "Network", people followed the lead of a news anchor and starting leaning out their windows and shouting, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"  That's what these protests look like to me now.  There are a certain number of people who are not totally adult and they're still pissed off about everything involving Covid.  And a good number of these people lean conservative anyway and hate that the world is changing.  They want to be part of a protest to let off steam and to tell the world they're angry.

I think getting truckers involved so there would be work stoppages and a break in the flow of goods was probably encouraged by the Putin/rightwing dark money sources who think it will be good for their bottom line eventually.

[LifeIsStrange]

I think a lot of people jumped on board with the convoy because they’ve been feeling inconvenienced and uncomfortable.  They have that confused with oppressed.

There are so many things going on in the country that have people riled up. It has been brewing for a long time.  Wildfires, floods, politics, illness, isolation, tensions in the Ukraine, ripple effects of politics from the States. 
Hate groups are taking advantage of all of it. Social media is a perfect pot to stir an evil brew.

I see a lot of wasted energy and resources with this convoy. Immature and ego-driven. We have weak leadership. Politicians are constantly sniping at each other at a time when we need to focus elsewhere. They cling to old ways even if they are now out-dated  and lack future vision. This is  my personal opinion as a Canadian citizen. I find it sad and disappointing.

 I hope it all calms down and people focus on more constructive things to work on together. I can always hope.

[Ozlsn]

I forgot to include Wellington, NZ, on my convoy list. Thanks of course to James Blunt for reminding me. 

 

[47of74]

On 2/14/2022 at 3:51 AM, Ozlsn said:

I forgot to include Wellington, NZ, on my convoy list. Thanks of course to James Blunt for reminding me. 

 

Course the Canadians took it up to 11 and are using a porno metal song to disrupt the “truckers.”  

Quote

In a recent chat on a Zello channel titled “Windsor Convoy 2,” a group of people supporting the trucker convoy — a Canadian protest against vaccine mandates and lockdowns — started an impromptu singalong for the national anthem, “O! Canada.” “Our home and native land,” one person sang off-key, followed by another, crooning just as poorly, “True patriot love with all our sons command [sic].”

Then comes a loud guitar riff. “EIGHTEEN NAKED COWBOYS IN THE SHOWERS AT RAM RANCH,” a voice screams. They’re removed from the chat before they can continue to the next lyrics  

Out of frustration, leftists in Canada started trolling Zello channels by blasting the song “Ram Ranch,” both as a play on the Dodge Ram insignia of many of the trucks downtown and as a subversion of the channel’s patriotism (the artist who recorded “Ram Ranch,” Grant MacDonald, is Canadian). “It’s a deeply conservative belief system infiltrating our city,” says Katarina. “And when we played this song to jam their communication, they’d get extremely angry because it’s an explicit and LGBTQ-friendly song.”

Since then, the movement took on something of a life of its own. Noelle, a counterprotester who has been livetweeting the Zello chats who goes by @NoelleNarwhal on Twitter, created the #RamRanchResistance hashtag last week as a way for people to share information; since then, she says, she has seen countless Ram Ranch memes and GIFs, as well as “Welcome to the Ram Ranch” signs popping up at convoy counter-protests. “It’s not an organized effort at all. it’s just taken on a mind of its own,” she says. “It’s just a bunch of people annoyed with whats going on, and felt like they could do something.” Another #RamRanchResistor created a website, ram-ranch.ca, linking to downtown organizations that have been impacted by the trucker convoy as well as charities aiding indigenous people. People have even taken to Tinder to match with convoy protesters, set up meet-ups with them, and direct them to the Ram Ranch.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

[Cartmann99]

Local media outlet had a story up about the trucker convoy. Response below from one of the commenters who communicates almost entirely via Rumble videos:

Spoiler

It's still weird for me how much the "law and order" party has changed in my lifetime.

[Ozlsn]

A thread about the Ottawa blockade:

Spoiler

 

I sincerely hope this doesn't eventuate in Canberra or Wellington.

[47of74]

Ottawa police have had enough

Quote

Demonstrations in Ottawa turned violent Friday evening as protesters, according to authorities, assaulted officers and tried to remove their weapons.

"All means of de-escalation have been used to move forward in our goal of returning Ottawa to it's normalcy," police in Canada's capital said in a tweet.

Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell said earlier at least 70 people had been arrested for various offenses and 21 vehicles had been towed.

"We're in control of the situation on the ground and continue to push forward to clear our streets," Bell said at an afternoon news conference.

At least, unlike a certain orange fuck stick, you will not see either Doug Ford or Prime Minister Trudeau strutting over to Christ Church Cathedral to wave a bible around upside down.

[Ozlsn]

More on the Ottawa protest removals.

I'm particularly interested in this part:

On Saturday, the federal government said it had frozen at least 76 bank accounts linked to the protests representing C$3.2m ($2.5m; £1.8m) under the temporary emergency measures.

Earlier in the week, an Ontario Superior Court Judge approved a court order freezing millions of dollars - including some held in crypto-currency - raised from around the world to support the protests.

The freeze is part of a class-action lawsuit filed by residents and business owners in Ottawa against protest organisers and participants, as well as against all those who donated funds after 4 February.

This could get interesting.

Meanwhile in Canberra we're down from esrimated 10,000 last weekend to under 1000 this weekend. Apparently the number of speeding fines along one notorious stretch of road went up by quite a lot.

[Ozlsn]

I kind of want to know how the Canadian government is suppressing them from recognising Manitoba. Space laser rays?

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

5 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

I kind of want to know how the Canadian government is suppressing them from recognising Manitoba. Space laser rays?

As much as I like The Chicks, the same claim was made when several radio stations refused to play their music after Natalie Maines’ criticism of GW Bush during a concert in England. It really is surprising how many Americans do not understand their Constitutional rights are land-based and don’t follow them off American territory. I have had many conversations (such as during The Chicks controversy or Amanda Knox’ retrial in Italy) where I have tried to explain that concept, sometimes successfully. 

[LifeIsStrange]

I live in a small town in northern Alberta. Last summer, a motor home and truck set up camp in the parking lot of the one and only gas station in town. There was an Alberta flag and an American flag flying off the motor home. Two men set up a table with a sign that said something like ‘Join Alberta State, sign the petition.’

I was hoping that people would just ignore them and not give them any attention. They didn’t stay long so I don’t know if they were told to leave or if they didn’t have any takers, got bored and left.

I didn’t want to search about them online to find out who they were because I didn’t want to be associated with them in any form. After reading about the people arrested at the Coutts border convoy protest in southern Alberta, I wonder if the motor home men were associated with them.

The weirdos arrested at the Coutts border protest want a diagonal line of territory cut from Alaska to Florida to form it’s own white nationalist state. They are prepared to fight and die for it.

I don’t know how to link articles. Their movement is called the Diagalon. Their motto is ‘gun or rope’. A member bragged in Facebook videos about being willing to die for the movement at the protest and that he would probably be front page news. 
 

These weirdos live in a fantasy of the Wild West. It makes me feel uneasy. The majority of the people I know are sensible but the crazy is definitely amongst us.

 

 

[Howl]

The American Freedom Truckers Convoy to DC is a thing and is set to depart from Barstow, CA on Feb. 23.  The route is known.  If DC doesn't prepare for the insanity these yahoos can cause after what happened on Jan 6, after observing what went down at the Canadian border... A Newsweek article noted that 

Quote

Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department said it plans to deploy its civil disturbance units from February 23 to March 1, in preparation for possible trucker convoys, WUSA9 reported.

If they let this idiotic shit get out of control and truckers form a blockade and create chaos and gridlock in our nation's capital, they deserve whatever criticism they get. 

This is an instance where they SHOULD call out the national guard PREEMPTIVELY before even one truck gets to town.  It's not about inconvenience; chaos and gridlock in the capital de facto endanger the president and other elected leaders.  

I always go to Trader Joe's early on Sunday morning. Alas,  I went to Trader Joe's a half hour before closing yesterday (Saturday) evening.   It was very crowded, and I'd guess two thirds of the customers were maskless.   On Sunday morning, or a weekday early morning, almost all customers are masked, like maybe 90 to 95%! 

So any, f**k these idiotic truckers.  Most place don't require masks anymore. I'm going to guess that most of them -- independent truckers -- aren't required to be vaccinated.

And one has to ask -- how do they afford to pay the cost for diesel to drive those big rigs across country?  As pointed out in regards to the Canadian scene, if you go AWOL with a load it's considered theft.  They risk losing their trucker's license and then their livelihoods.  

Keep in mind also the term "astroturf" -- these are NOT grassroots movements. 

[47of74]

10 hours ago, AlmostSavedAtTacoBell said:

As much as I like The Chicks, the same claim was made when several radio stations refused to play their music after Natalie Maines’ criticism of GW Bush during a concert in England. It really is surprising how many Americans do not understand their Constitutional rights are land-based and don’t follow them off American territory. I have had many conversations (such as during The Chicks controversy or Amanda Knox’ retrial in Italy) where I have tried to explain that concept, sometimes successfully. 

When I travel to another country I always do my best to keep in mind that I am a guest and behave as such.  I don't do things like the equivalent of taking a crap on the living room carpet (yeah I know pleasant mental image) which is what any Americans participating in the things up and Canada are doing now.  Am I perfect?  Nope.  Not by a long shot.  But I try not to be the stereotypical 'murican in other lands and try my best to be respectful of people.  

[Becky]

Here is the route of the "People's Convoy" in the US.  

https://thepeoplesconvoy.org/?fbclid=IwAR3xlWHA0Zb8PqGC01krx5gkNhDbfa5-jJ5mEKMusfNlAtfQkVIG14Fg5Xw

 

 

[CTRLZero]

I wish the people’s convoy would visit Mar a Lago for a few weeks.  

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

34 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

I wish the people’s convoy would visit Mar a Lago for a few weeks.  

Great suggestion! Surely their dear leader would let them set up camp, use the facilities, fill up at the buffet, hang out on the grounds while their kids run around without proper supervision, and bring their unvaccinated unmasked free-dumb loving worship right to his temple! 

[Howl]

4 hours ago, Becky said:

Here is the route of the "People's Convoy" in the US. 

They are actually stopping in GlenRio, TX overnight, on the TX/NM border, and continuing through Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle, so my state gets a visit, although (happily) 500 miles from me.  

Six years ago now we drove from Central Texas to Pittsburg, PA mostly on Interstate highways, to begin a bike ride on the Great Allegheny Passage.  There were many times where traffic was often bumper to bumper, with some twisty sections going over the hills.  It was intense and a little scary at times. 

These yahoos are using the Interstate highway system, which is already heavily traveled and intensively used by their fellow truckers.  Having a damn convoy snarl traffic on an Interstate won't make anyone happy.  It could be a huge mess all the way across the US, but especially as they get further east.  

I hope the US will do what the Canadians did: freeze the donations supporting these idiotic jackwagons! 

Interesting that on Day 3, they drive all the way across NM.  Night 2 is in AZ, very close the the AZ/NM border and Night 3 is GlenRio, TX, just on the Texas side of the NM/TX border.   New Mexico is one state where they wouldn't get much, if any, MAGA Trucker support.  

 

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Howl

[Alisamer]

On 2/20/2022 at 10:23 AM, AlmostSavedAtTacoBell said:

As much as I like The Chicks, the same claim was made when several radio stations refused to play their music after Natalie Maines’ criticism of GW Bush during a concert in England. It really is surprising how many Americans do not understand their Constitutional rights are land-based and don’t follow them off American territory. I have had many conversations (such as during The Chicks controversy or Amanda Knox’ retrial in Italy) where I have tried to explain that concept, sometimes successfully. 

A large number of Americans don't really understand the first amendment even IN the US. I have had more than one conversation along the lines of "The first amendment just says the government can't arrest you for speaking your mind, not that other people have to host or listen to your opinions!" which is inevitably met with a resounding "Nuh uh! Freedom of speech applies everywhere in all situations!" 

(One particular time this happened was when some yahoo sent a group notification to the entire local Pokemon Go discord channel, at 11:30 pm on a work night, saying something along the lines of "Trump is the GOAT!!!!!111MAGA!" to which I replied "Thanks, Putin." I'm not sure if the admin blocked the guy, but he did give him a "I don't care what your politics are, this is a Pokemon Go group, no one is supposed to send mass notifications, and it's 11:30 at night. GTFO."

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

1 hour ago, Alisamer said:

A large number of Americans don't really understand the first amendment even IN the US. I have had more than one conversation along the lines of "The first amendment just says the government can't arrest you for speaking your mind, not that other people have to host or listen to your opinions!" which is inevitably met with a resounding "Nuh uh! Freedom of speech applies everywhere in all situations!" 

(One particular time this happened was when some yahoo sent a group notification to the entire local Pokemon Go discord channel, at 11:30 pm on a work night, saying something along the lines of "Trump is the GOAT!!!!!111MAGA!" to which I replied "Thanks, Putin." I'm not sure if the admin blocked the guy, but he did give him a "I don't care what your politics are, this is a Pokemon Go group, no one is supposed to send mass notifications, and it's 11:30 at night. GTFO."

I know I shouldn’t be surprised at how little some Americans understand their own government but it really is embarrassing. I have had that same conversation about the First Amendment. No, Food Network did not violate Paula Deen‘s 1A rights by choosing not to renew her contract when her prior contract was coming to an end. No, Chik~FIL-A’s 1A rights aren’t being violated when I choose not to patronize their restaurants. No, Twitter isn’t violating 1A because Twitter isn’t incarcerating anyone or acting as a governmental agency censoring otherwise protected speech.

The separation of powers is another area where I find a dearth of understanding. I cannot count how many times I have stopped someone complaining about a sitting POTUS “taxing” by asking, “What branch of the government has taxation power?” The inability to understand concepts such as the who makes the laws rather than who enforces the laws is staggering. No, the police/prosecutors cannot charge a person who killed someone while under the influence with murder unless there is a specific law in that jurisdiction that allows it to be charged no matter how many petitions are signed or people show up to rally at the courthouse. No, a judge, as interpreter of the law, can’t just decide to upgrade a charge that was not filed by the prosecutor or sentence someone outside the legally defined guidelines. 
 

Don’t get me started on the 5th Amendment and how it is misunderstood. 

[Howl]

I'm having a very bad feeling about this, y'all.  I wonder where Pete Buttidgieg fits into the response, as the Sec. of Transportation. 

Fox 5 in DC:  Trucker convoys aim to shut DC’s Capital Beltway this week, organizer says

One of the leader/organizers says the end game is to shut down the DC Beltway.  Supposedly, they'll leave a lane open for emergency situations but don't care if people are blocked from getting to work.  If freeways aren't functioning, drivers take to surface roads.  Surface roads become gridlocked  incredibly quickly.  Emergency services and the people who desperately need them are going to be in horrible straights. 

Their stated goal is to f**k DC.  This is the most disconcerting thing I read in the linked article: "Police sources say there have been challenges in D.C. to find towing companies willing to work with law enforcement."  

This is the follow up to January 6, y'all. I fully expect there will be families as part of this.  Some of the Ottowa protesters were using their young children as de facto human shields. 

I also wonder about the overnight stopping points.  Glenrio is a spot in the road, literally, with no services.  Maybe there won't be that many trucks in the convoy at that point, but will pick up trucks as they head east?  I guess we'll know in a few days. 

[Audrey2]

If the website is correct it looks like things are going to be quite miserable and Indianapolis as well. They have down depart Indianapolis and then it sounds like they returnto Indianapolis and to part again the next day.