What is happening with the Truckers Freedom Rally in Canada?
A 101 thread for anybody that has not been following...
...from somebody who has been following obsessively the past week.
#TruckersForFreedom2022
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A 101 thread for anybody that has not been following...
...from somebody who has been following obsessively the past week.
#TruckersForFreedom2022
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Note: this is my best understanding based on what I can gather from scouring the Internet and a few first-hand reports.
Please feel free to correct or add nuance to any part.
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Please feel free to correct or add nuance to any part.
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This is a movement led by Canadian truckers that started as a protest against the new (Jan 2022) vaccine mandates for truckers at the Canada/USA border, but has morphed into a protest against ALL mandates and lockdowns on behalf of ALL of the citizens.
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Truckers from across the country have traveled to Parliament in Ottawa, Ont with the intention of staying until mandates are lifted. The expectation is that this will not only put pressure on Ottawa due to their presence at Parliament, but also disruption to the supply chain.
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Organizers and participants in the protest have repeatedly clarified that this is not an anti-vaccination protest, and not a political protest, but purely about freedom, unity, and removing mandates.
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https://twitter.com/AndrewLawton/status/1487855173041020930?s=20&t=qZEpAwAzwrM-qdkBcotjNA
Multiple large convoys of trucks convened from different corners of the country, including the West (British Columbia through the Prairies), the East (Maritimes + Quebec), and the South (Southern Ontario) to travel together along with many other vehicles to the Capitol.
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These truckers garnered HUGE support. A GoFundMe campaign is reaching $9 MILLION in donations as of this thread:
gofundme.com/f/taking-back-…
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gofundme.com/f/taking-back-…
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Canadians gathered along the entire stretch of the 1000’s of km TransCanada highway to support the convoys. Truckers, supporters & independent media reported hundreds of thousands of ppl cheering in every town & at every overpass (search "each overpass").
https://twitter.com/Aceandbogie/status/1486852293068824580?s=20&t=qZEpAwAzwrM-qdkBcotjNA
There are hundreds of videos like this on social media. So many regular Canadians out supporting the convoys:
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https://twitter.com/BezirganMocha/status/1486397365498130438?s=20&t=qZEpAwAzwrM-qdkBcotjNA
One more from when the Western convoy rolled through my hometown, a small city, late (>9 PM) on a Thursday night in -20 C weather.
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https://twitter.com/BezirganMocha/status/1486937732798627840?s=20&t=shZdW8vQumZdJ-WmFeKHlA
I should note at this point that Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, referred to this movement early in the week as a “fringe minority” with "unacceptable views." This did not go over well, to say the least.
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https://twitter.com/TrueNorthCentre/status/1486473753991299072?s=20&t=qZEpAwAzwrM-qdkBcotjNA
It is unclear how many trucks traveled to Ottawa in total. From those in support, claims of 50,000 trucks circulated. From those against, 100.
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https://twitter.com/MaajidNawaz/status/1486508908093087751?s=20&t=3ta-ZN9WBt_Y0MqoSLksOQ
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The truth appears to lie in the middle, with each individual convoy containing several hundred trucks with multiple larger and smaller convoys converging to yield somewhere between 1000-10000, with many more personal vehicles joining along.
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Initial trucks and participants arrived in Ottawa on Friday, already filling up the street, with the majority arriving on Saturday. However, several larger convoys were held up and stopped or slowed down at various locations near the rally point.
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https://twitter.com/Regulator221/status/1487277590557560834?s=20&t=Df86X8Ire5kFE2S0Q29MCA
A HUGE crowd gathered at Parliament to support the truckers & their cause on Saturday. All reports on the ground were of love, peace & unity. Many Canadians & ppl across the world have stated that this is the most hope & unity they have felt in two years.
https://twitter.com/BezirganMocha/status/1487511810576207875?s=20&t=Df86X8Ire5kFE2S0Q29MCA
Participants at the Freedom Rally came from ALL walks of life, with in particular a huge indigenous turnout. Canada is a proudly very multicultural country. There are hundreds of videos like this across social media:
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https://twitter.com/canadiangirls99/status/1487629183484190721?s=20&t=qZEpAwAzwrM-qdkBcotjNA
Additional truckers and people gathered in support of the primary protest in cities across Canada and across the world:
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https://twitter.com/JordanClayson/status/1487653188501221382?s=20&t=Df86X8Ire5kFE2S0Q29MCA
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That’s what the Trucker Freedom Convoy is and represents. However, the media would have you believe something different.
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Throughout the week leading up, the mainstream media barely covered the Convoy, but when they did, it was:
-Potential traffic disruptions
-The small size of the convoy
-Potential for violence and a January 6th event
-White supremacist and far right origins
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-Potential traffic disruptions
-The small size of the convoy
-Potential for violence and a January 6th event
-White supremacist and far right origins
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As the Freedom Rally came together and it was clear it was not “small,” the mainstream and social media then turned to finding the effectively nonexistent “bad actors” in the crowd, real or planted, which can be counted on one hand. Conveniently compiled below.
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However, these photos were promptly circulated on social media. All weekend, I have seen some of my more left leaning Twitter mutuals and real life acquaintances circulate these smears and describe the protesters as "white supremacists." I will not call them out.
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Fortunately, others are astute enough to see what is really going on:
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https://twitter.com/TruismsT/status/1487833184314146819?s=20&t=FKPB5WE--Lorj7bLEvw-tg
To be clear, all reports from independent news sources and regular people on the ground indicated that the protest was loving, peaceful, and diverse, with any hateful behavior not tolerated, and of course a few shenanigans.
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https://twitter.com/atwal_manjit/status/1487882022844448769?s=20&t=25AqtDY1M_eaavGVqF_Zmg
The organizers have repeatedly insisted that this is to be a peaceful protest, and that participants must remain *extra vigilant* to not allow even a hint of violence or poor conduct.
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https://twitter.com/BrianESimpson1/status/1487054561084911620?s=20&t=shZdW8vQumZdJ-WmFeKHlA
More from the organizers:
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https://twitter.com/TheRealKeean/status/1487857084578287621?s=20&t=FKPB5WE--Lorj7bLEvw-tg
In sum, each person is free to agree or disagree with the demands of the protesters and their message, but the defamation by the media and social media and the disinformation circulating has been appalling and downright frightening.
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But this Convoy has united Canadians more powerfully than anything in a long, long time, has inspired the disenfranchised, & has shown the "silent majority" that they are not alone.
If nothing else, I believe the empowerment that it has fostered will spread for the better.
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If nothing else, I believe the empowerment that it has fostered will spread for the better.
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Post-script:
Check out my party thread to see how Canadians protest in -20 C weather 😀
Check out my party thread to see how Canadians protest in -20 C weather 😀
https://twitter.com/mmpaquette/status/1487913877417381893?s=20&t=_55kwCU0Neh3VllljsvcWw
There are tons of great independent and citizen journalists reporting on this event. They have been incredible.
My favorite source has been @RebelNewsOnline and all of their reporters.
My favorite source has been @RebelNewsOnline and all of their reporters.
More reports from on the ground:
https://twitter.com/MCollinsWrkShp/status/1488147887846535175?s=20&t=xIi0y7E0M1n3WtlLzjI8lQ
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