The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is warning the public and law enforcement that the American trucker convoy could disrupt this weekend’s Super Bowl.
Similar to the “Freedom Convoy” that’s been taking place in Canada for almost three weeks, the US trucker convoy is protesting government mandates across the country and it could begin on February 13 in Los Angeles, clashing with Super Bowl LVI.
According to a report by Yahoo News, DHS is stating that the “convoy could severely disrupt transportation, federal government, and law enforcement operations through gridlock and potential counterprotests.”
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Citing official documents obtained from the Department of Homeland Security, Yahoo News says the agency has received reports of a convoy of truckers who plan to potentially block roads in major cities in the United States in protest.
The DHS alert says that “the group intends to start in California as early as mid-February and travel to Washington, D.C., as late as mid-March, reportedly gathering truckers as they travel across the country,” adding that truckers from the “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa may also head to Washington to participate.
Yahoo News says a DHS source told the publication that the US trucker convoy is “absolutely a real concern.”
“They are definitely going to follow the Canadian model and shut down Washington,” says the DHS official through Yahoo News. Earlier this week, protesters blocked off traffic in both directions along the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor to Detroit, closing down one of the busiest international border crossings between Canada and the US.
Yahoo News cites the DHS is discussing “what to do” with several other US law enforcement agencies should the protest become widespread across the US.
The “Freedom Convoy” has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, along with public figures Elon Musk and Joe Rogan.
“At this time, we have no indication that individuals discussing participating in these activities in the United States are engaged in anything other than First Amendment–protected activity,” says the report, citing the DHS. “Nonetheless, DHS remains concerned that these events could have significant public safety implications or potentially be exploited by ideologically motivated actors to potentially act or encourage others to act violently.”
A DHS spokesperson gave Yahoo News this statement: “DHS is tracking reports of a potential convoy that may be planning to travel to several U.S. cities. We have not observed specific calls for violence within the United States associated with this convoy, and are working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to continuously assess the threat environment and keep our communities safe. DHS will continue to share timely and actionable information with the public.”
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the Union address to Congress on March 1.
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will host this weekend’s Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals at 3:30 pm PST on Sunday.
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