WILTON — The group of about 60 people who lined the overpass at Highway 38 and Interstate 80 Saturday morning adopted the tongue–in–cheek nickname “Deplorables for Truckers.”
They gathered on the overpass, many waving American flags, to cheer on the Midwest American Truckers Freedom Convoy as it rolled past, making its way to Washington, D.C. to protest mask and vaccine mandates. On Saturday, the convoy began its trip in Des Moines, making its way to Iowa City for a slow roll along the interstate, and traveled to Davenport for another slow roll as the trucks turned on to Interstate 74 to travel into Illinois. The group planned on making its next stop in Peoria.
The convoy is the American version of the Canadian Freedom Convoy that rolled into the capital city of Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates along the border. For the American convoy, truckers are traveling from all 50 states to Washington, D.C.
Mary Gish and Teresa Noa, both from Wapello, were on the overpass well before the convoy was scheduled to travel by. They waved large flags to the traffic about 20 feet below on Interstate 80. They reported most of the motorists were happy to see them and honked or waved to them. They did say a few drivers had given them a “one-fingered salute,” but the vast majority were happy to see them.
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“We’re just showing our support and that we believe in what they are doing,” Gish said. “It’s not about the mandates anymore. It’s about our freedom and our rights.”
Throughout the crowd, the feeling was one that American freedoms were being eroded and hope that the convoy would send the message that American freedom needed to remain intact.
Gish was concerned some people would think the show of support was about supporting former President Donald Trump. She said this is not the case.
“It’s about American and doing what’s right,” she said. “It’s about standing up for our freedom.”
John Rhodes of Muscatine is an over-the-road trucker and came out to “support the cause.” He listened to a scanner app on his phone to let the others on the overpass know when the convoy was due. He also said about 50 trucks were coming down the highway, which was less than several hundred reported in other states.
Many came out to the overpass as families, bringing their children to watch the trucks going by. Matt Miller of Muscatine brought his wife, two daughters, and a dog to the event.
“We are here to celebrate and support the truckers who are going across the country and to back them,” he said. “This is about freedom. This is about choice. This is about our rights.”
He commented there are many people living in countries where they do not have freedom. He said the goal is to teach his children that freedom is special and something all Americans benefit from.
A shout went out the convoy was coming. A large semitractor-trailer flying two American flags and a POW/MIA symbol on its grill led the convoy. The semitractor-trailers did not travel in a line but intertwined with traffic. As the trucks went by many blew their horns at the people on the overpass.
On the overpass, the crowd showed excitement to see the trucks rolling by. Flags waved and people cheered. Overall, the feeling on the overpass was very positive.
“The difference between this protest and the protests we saw two summers ago is that nothing is getting burned down or destroyed,” Becky Hawn from Mercer County, Illinois commented.
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March 06, 2022 at 01:21AM
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