Freedom Caravan to New Zealand

Demonstrators in Canada have become the new heroes of conservatives and opponents of restrictions who are calling for increased mobilization, from New York to New Zealand.

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Inspired by Canadian truck drivers, in New York, several hundred city workers demonstrated Monday against the city’s decision to fire those who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting Friday. They denounced “medical despotism and forced vaccination,” and raised the large Canadian flag.

The day before, a hundred truck drivers in Alaska demonstrated against compulsory vaccination, in support of their colleagues on the other side of the border.

At the end of January by Canadian truck drivers denouncing the obligation to vaccinate to cross the US border, the “Freedom Caravan” quickly turned into a protest against health measures as a whole in Canada and, for some protesters, against the Justin Trudeau government.

After leaving Vancouver, hundreds of trucks have closed downtown Ottawa, the Canadian capital, for more than a week, as the mayor declared a state of emergency to deal with the blockade.

The mobilization was supported by conservative US officials, from Texas Senator Ted Cruz who called protesters “heroes” and “patriots” to former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.

Calls were also made to extend the mobilization to the US federal capital.

“The Freedom Caravan can come to Washington with American truck drivers who want to protest Joe Biden’s ridiculous COVID-19 policy,” Trump said.

The wave of protest has spread across the world, fueled and supported by populist currents denouncing the deadly obstacles to freedoms imposed by ruling elites.

“Very inspiring”

In France, a Facebook page, also called “Convoi de la Liberté” and followed by more than 275,000 people, is calling on opponents of the highly restrictive health measures put in place by the government to mobilize Paris on Sunday, to impose a siege on the capital..

Unlike in Canada, this fill does not come from truck drivers.

The movement aligns with the “yellow jackets”, which, before the pandemic, denounced the danger, expressing weary part of the population with the cost of living.

In their eyes again: President Emmanuel Macron’s policy of occupying the highway as a modus operandi.

The challenge has been revived by anti-vaccinators and opponents of the public and political discourse in managing the crisis.

One of the organizers of the French Caravan, Remy Monde, describes the Canadian movement as “very inspiring”.

On Facebook, Bill Mill denounced “restrictions, health card, increased energy prices, costs of living and declining (in age) retirement,” allegations reminiscent of those of the “yellow vests”.

He also denounced attempts to recover by political leaders, especially on the far right, stressing that the mobilization was “apolitical.”

Other groups on social networks have also called for a mobilization in Brussels, the seat of the European Union.

The movement has spread to New Zealand as a convoy of trucks and SUVs closed the Parliament district in the capital, Wellington, on Tuesday in protest of the health measures in place, which are among the most draconian in the world.

Hundreds of vehicles decorated with messages such as “Give us our freedom back” and “Coercion is not consent,” parked in the streets near Parliament. Several protesters carried Canadian flags in support of Ottawa truck drivers.

Stu Mayne, a Wellington resident, said the protesters’ concerns about stepping back on their rights had not been heard by the government.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stressed that the majority of New Zealanders support the government’s vaccination programme, such as compulsory vaccination for some occupations and the entry into force of the Health Permit.