{"id":48777,"date":"2022-02-21T16:29:53","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T16:29:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/02\/21\/dc-national-guard-asked-to-provide-support-for-upcoming-trucker-protest\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:03:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:03:57","slug":"dc-national-guard-asked-to-provide-support-for-upcoming-trucker-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2022\/02\/21\/dc-national-guard-asked-to-provide-support-for-upcoming-trucker-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"DC National Guard asked to provide support for upcoming trucker protest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With an organizer of a trucker vaccine mandate protest threatening to shut down traffic around the capitol region, the D.C. National Guard<\/a> is alerting troops to be ready to activate in response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe District of Columbia National Guard is aware of a request for assistance sent to the Department of Defense by the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency,\u201d Maj. Aaron Thacker, a spokesman for the DCNG, said in a statement to Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The request, he said, \u201casks DCNG provide traffic control support to the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department in anticipation of First Amendment demonstrations expected next week in the District. DCNG is also aware of a similar request for assistance submitted by the U.S. Capitol Police.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pending DoD approval, DCNG \u201cstands ready to provide support to the citizens of the District as directed by the secretary of defense.\u201d If approved, this would be one of the first uses of a new, more-streamlined DCNG activation process<\/a> established in the wake of the Jan. 6. 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DCNG troops were notified of a potential activation between <\/b>Feb. 22 through March 7 or later, according to internal directives obtained by Military Times. DCNG troops will provide vehicles and personnel at \u201c43 critical blocking positions 24\/7,\u201d according to a message issued Friday by Brig. Gen. Robert K. Ryan, head of the DCNG Land Component Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in a message late Monday afternoon, DC Guard officials informed their part-time troops that the approval had not yet come, telling them to instead be prepared to report Wednesday, Feb. 23. Previous messages indicated that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin\u2019s approval may be delayed due to the unfolding crisis in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDCNG ENCAMPMENT is synonymous with involuntary State Active Duty,\u201d according to the Friday note. \u201cENCAMPMENT ORDER: Published immediately upon formal SECDEF mission approval.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon could not immediately provide a response, but local law enforcement agencies have publicized their requests for support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLaw enforcement agencies across the National Capital Region are aware of plans for a series of truck convoys arriving in Washington, DC around the time of the State of the Union,\u201d the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement<\/a> Feb. 18. \u201cAs with any demonstration, the USCP will facilitate lawful First Amendment activity. The USCP is closely coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including DC\u2019s Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Park Police, the United States Secret Service and other allied agencies to include the DC National Guard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concern is what organizers say will be an effort to tie up traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe intend to circle Washington D.C.,\u201d Bob Bolus, a #TruckersForFreedom organizer, told the local Fox affiliate. \u201cAnd basically, I\u2019ll give you an analogy of that of a giant ball constrictor. Basically squeezes you chokes you and as well as your network we\u2019re going to do to D.C.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When pressed about safety concerns of choking off traffic to emergency vehicles and the inconvenience of people trying to get to work, Bolus offered the following response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere will be a lane open, for emergency vehicles to be able to get in and get out and all that,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will not compromise anybody\u2019s safety or health one way or the other. As far as if they can\u2019t get the work jeez, that\u2019s too bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trucker protest, which began in Canada, grew until it closed a handful of Canada-U.S. border posts<\/a> and shut down key parts of the capital city for weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers but also encompassed fury over the range of COVID-19 restrictions and hatred of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reflected the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, tweeted out his support for the truckers on Feb. 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGod bless these Canadian truck drivers. They\u2019re defending Canada, America, and they\u2019re standing up for freedom! The government doesn\u2019t have the right to force you to comply to their arbitrary mandates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This story contains information from The Associated Press.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NEW: an organizer of one of the #TruckersForFreedom<\/a> convoys says the plan is not to park in DC, but to shut down the Beltway.

Bob Bolus says he plans to leave PA on Wed & circle DC: \u201cI\u2019ll give you an analogy of that of a giant boa constrictor.\u201d @fox5dc<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BKkisxUpLD<\/a><\/p>— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) February 20, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>