The People’s Convoy rolls through Washington
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Crowds wave to drivers as the People’s Convoy travels through Canton Township Friday afternoon. Hundreds of tractor-trailers, trucks and sedans sped under the overpass at Exit 16 near Jessop Place.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Dusty Hopkins has been walking through Washington, American flag in hand, dog Diesel at his side, for years. Hopkins said the People’s Convoy is the American people fighting for freedoms lost.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The People’s Convoy, a caravan of truckers and motorists traveling from California to Washington, D.C., rolls along Interstate 70 East Friday afternoon.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Lorri Garrison, far left, and her son, Conall, of Meadow Lands, met friends Maureen McCauley and her son, John, of South Hills, at Exit 16 along Interstate 70 Friday to watch the People’s Convoy drive through.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Ben Blank and his son, Bowen, of Saxonburg, eagerly await the arrival of the People’s Convoy Friday morning off Exit 16 in Canton Township. Along with wife, Katie, and second son, Ivan, the two traveled nearly an hour to cheer for the truckers.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A crowd gathers above the overpass at Exit 16 along Interstate 70 Friday afternoon. Folks from Washington and beyond cheered as the People’s Convoy rolled through Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The People's Convoy rolls through Washington Friday afternoon. More than 100 people waved flags and cheered as the truckers and motorists rolled through the area.
A truck bearing the emblem "Escorting Convoy" leads the way through Southwestern Pennsylvania Friday afternoon. Hundreds of trucks and vehicles passed through Washington as the caravan made its way from California to Washington, D.C.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The People’s Convoy travels eastbound along Interstate 70 Friday afternoon. When the caravan reached Exit 16 near Jessop Place, the flag-waving crowd erupted in cheers.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The People’s Convoy, a caravan of truckers and motorists headed to Washington, D.C., from California, cruises along Interstate 70 East Friday afternoon. The convoy was met with cheers at Exit 16 near Jessop.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The People’s Convoy heads eastbound along Interstate 70 Friday afternoon. The caravan of truckers and motorists passed through Canton Township.
Crowds wave and cheer as the People's Convoy travels below the overpass at Exit 16 near Jessop. The convoy arrived, horns honking, in Canton Township shortly before 1 p.m. Friday.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The People’s Convoy passes through Canton Township Friday afternoon. More than 100 people gathered along the overpass at Exit 16 near Jessop to welcome the truckers.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A car decorated with a “Caution: Convoy Ahead” sticker honks as the crowd gathered near Jessop Place in Canton Township cheers.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Locals cheer and wave flags as the People’s Convoy passes under the overpass along Interstate 70 Friday afternoon. The convoy, en route to D.C., arrived in Canton Township shortly before 1 p.m.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Folks waved American flags as the People’s Convoy traveled eastbound along Interstate 70 Friday afternoon. The caravan of truckers and motorists honked and flashed lights as it moved through Canton Township.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A crowd leans over the bridge at Exit 16, waving flags and cheering as the People’s Convoy travels eastbound along Interstate 70 on its way to Washington, D.C. More than 100 people gathered near the Jessop Place Exit 16 to stand in solidarity with the truckers and motorists.
Cars and trucks whooshed beneath the underpass near the Jessop Place exit Friday morning, honking horns, flashing headlights and throwing thumbs-ups to a crowd dangling flags and hoisting handmade banners over the bridge.
Every horn honk and wave of a hand was met with a chorus of cheers.
More than 100 people gathered off Exit 16 along Interstate 70 to welcome The People’s Convoy as the caravan of truckers rolled through Washington Friday afternoon on its way from the state of California to Washington, D.C.
The People’s Convoy began its cross-country journey Feb. 23, when a group of truckers protesting mask mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions departed Adelanto Stadium in Adelanto, Calif., for an overnight stay in Kingman, Ariz.
From there, the convoy drove east, growing larger as it roared through cities like Glenrio, Texas, and Elk City, Okla. Drivers rested overnight in towns including Lupton, Ariz., and Cambridge, Ohio – where the convey began Friday morning, heading through West Virginia and passing through Washington, Pa.
This journey is, according to The People’s Convoy website, a peaceful “transcontinental movement” calling for an end to the pandemic State of Emergency, transparency in congressional hearings and a return to America’s core principals of liberty and freedom.
“This is history in the making,” said Michele Hook of Burgettstown, as she waited for the convoy to arrive. “Somebody else stood up for us, and this is our opportunity to support them supporting us. Our freedoms are at stake.”
Freedom was the theme of Friday’s gathering. Cars began filling the park-n-ride at the Jessop Place exit around 10 a.m.; by 11, the lot was filled, and vehicles lined Wilmington Street while young and old alike waited in the cold. Similar scenes played out at numerous other overpass sites along the route.
“Gotta back those truckers,” said Wanda Boardley of Washington. “They’re the only ones that seem to be fighting for our freedom. They’re standing up for our rights.”
Those rights – the ones the crowd said they were rallying for – include COVID-19 restrictions.
“We’re the freest country in the world. Whether it’s from a federal level, a state level, a city level, (masks) should be an individual choice based on your own health,” Marcell Nicklas of Cecil said. “I don’t think people should be losing their jobs.”
Dusty Hopkins, well-known by locals for walking Washington with American flag in hand and his Rottweiler, Diesel, at his side, said The People’s Convoy stands for something more.
“It’s not just about a mask mandate. It’s about all the freedoms we lost,” said Hopkins, who began marching with flags five years ago, when former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem.
“Me and my dog, we stand out with the flag in honor of the veterans, the police officers, the firefighters. Just want to … get the respect back that they deserve,” he said. “To show my support for all the freedoms we lost, we need to get back. I just want to show my support with everybody else that believes in America.”
As the convoy roared through the area, one attendee said that in her 75 years on earth, she’d never seen anything like it. To her, the convoy represents America coming together.
Hopkins’ wife, Sherri Hopkins, agreed.
“Especially in times like now, with the wars in Ukraine and everything, it’s important for us to back up our country,” she said. “Just showing support for our country.”