Sen. Cruz rides with 'People's Convoy' truck to D.C. as Beltway protest enters fourth day

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Local

Sen. Cruz rides with ‘People’s Convoy’ truck to D.C. as Beltway protest enters fourth day

Texas senator is riding in the lead truck, which organizers say will head into D.C.

By Ellie Silverman, Karina Elwood and Dana Hedgpeth
Today at 9:29 a.m. EST | Updated today at 10:55 a.m. EST

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) visited the “People’s Convoy” at the Hagerstown Speedway on Thursday and rode shotgun in the lead truck, with plans for the vehicle to head into to Washington for a news conference, while the rest of the convoy circles the Capital Beltway to protest pandemic health restrictions aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. ... “The convoy is not [going into D.C.],” Brian Brase, the group’s organizer, said from inside the lead truck. “The convoy’s going to continue its normal operation. This truck will be going into D.C.”

Though many pandemic-related restrictions at the federal and local levels have been blocked or rescinded, the convoy organizers have rallied supporters by calling mandates an infringement on their freedoms. ... “There ain’t no ignoring a senator riding in the lead truck,” Brase told the crowd at the Hagerstown Speedway earlier. “That’s basically an endorsement of what we’re doing.”

“Your voice is being heard,” Cruz told the crowd as truckers, drivers and supporters held up their phones and cameras to capture his speech. “What the men and women want here is for the government to leave you the hell alone. ... That is the most American sentiment you could imagine.” ... Brase said the convoy will continue to protest until mandates for health workers, federal employees and military personnel are eliminated, but he warned the convoy against heading into the capital.

{snip}

Law enforcement authorities in Virginia and Maryland said there have been no reported incidents from the convoy’s circling of the Beltway other than some minor congestion. The convoy said it was joined by another 150 cars and trucks when they reached Hagerstown Speedway. ... There have been no arrests, towed vehicles or infractions as a result of the convoy, officials said. ... It is not exactly clear when the convoy plans to leave the D.C. region. Brase, a 37-year-old trucker from Ohio, had said at one point they planned to stay in Hagerstown through at least Saturday but has also said they may stay longer to get more meetings with politicians.

By Ellie Silverman
Ellie Silverman covers protest movements, activism and local news. At The Post, she has also covered local crime and courts. She has previously reported on retail, breaking news and general assignment stories for the Philadelphia Inquirer, her hometown paper. She graduated from the University of Maryland, where she reported for the Diamondback. Twitter https://twitter.com/esilverman11

By Karina Elwood
Karina Elwood is an intern covering local politics and government on the Metro desk. Twitter https://twitter.com/karina_elwood

By Dana Hedgpeth
Dana Hedgpeth is a Washington Post reporter, working in the early morning to report on traffic, crime and other local issues. She joined The Post in 1999. She's American Indian and an enrolled member of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe of N.C. Twitter https://twitter.com/postmetrogirl

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. And they're off. Links to Maryland DOT traffic cameras:

Let them truckers roll

Link to tweet

Senator Cruz will be in the convoy with us today

Link to tweet

Links to Maryland DOT traffic cameras:

{snip}

Maryland Department of Transportation Live Traffic Cameras

{snip}

Try this one. I-70 runs through Maryland from north of Hancock to Baltimore. It's the Interstate that the truckers would take were they to head east from Hagerstown toward Frederick, which is on the way to DC. At Frederick, I-270 splits off from I-70. I-70 heads east to Baltimore, and I-270 heads southeast to DC.

Cameras By Route from I-70 at PA Line to I-695 at I-70

I-70 East at South Mountain is a good choice

Cameras By Route from I-270 at I-70 to I-270 at I-495. This is the big enchilada. Any camera on that stretch will work.

{snip}

Check the camera at I-70 at Mount Phillip Rd. at the tab labeled "Cameras By Route from I-70 at PA Line to I-695 at I-70." The convoy has made it that far at 11:45 a.m.

[gab13by13]

2. Who gives a shit?

Why give them publicity? They are being funded by dark money to distract us.

[agingdem]

3. ever noticed how insipid idiots have a way of finding each other?

[pandr32]

5. +1

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. There's been a wreck. I-70 at Mount Phillip Rd

https://chart.maryland.gov/video/video.php?feed=30001ac501a600d60057fa36c4235c0a

There's a vehicle over on its side.

[IcyPeas]

6. Just watched that for a couple of minutes

I saw a Ryder truck. Aren't they rentals?

There was also a FedEx truck.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. Both lanes are open now. It looks like normal truck traffic on I-70; i.e., no flags or banners. NT

[IcyPeas]

9. Live YouTube stream from inside a guy's truck:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. I've been watching that in your thread. Thanks for posting it here.

He's headed toward Virginia on the outer loop, isn't he? I'll have to come up with some Virginia DOT highway cameras.

Give me a minute ...

https://www.511virginia.org/

I-495 / MM 42.78 / SB

Camera 2 (of 29) on I-495

That shows traffic coming off the Cabin John Bridge from Maryland. The bridge in the background takes traffic from the GW Parkway onto the outer loop.

[Blue Owl]

8. Rumor is one of the trucks slid out of control after hitting Ted's slime trail

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. To see additional photos and videos of Ted Cruz in front of a camera, click here:

https://twitter.com/tedcruz

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. We'll leave the light on.

"Truckers Encircle Washington DC Beltway, Will Continue Daily Until Convoy's Demands Are Met"

#LetFreedomRoll #ThePeoplesConvoy

Link to tweet