More than 1,000 vehicles gather outside Washington to protest COVID-19 measures

More than a thousand largetrucks, recreational vehicles and cars are gathering on theoutskirts of Washington, D.C., on Saturday as part of a protest against COVID-19restrictions that threatens to roll on the U.S. capital in thecoming days.

The so-called "People's Convoy," which originated inCalifornia and has drawn participants from around the country,is calling for an end to all pandemic-related restrictions. Itwas inspired by demonstrations last month inOttawa.

The convoy's message has been undercut in recent weeks asmajor U.S. cities have rolled back mask mandates and othermeasures against COVID-19.

U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signalled inhis state of the union addresson Tuesday that the country wasentering a new, more controlled phase of the pandemic withoutbusiness lockdowns or school closures.The pandemic has led to more than 950,000deaths in the United Statesbut has been mitigated with vaccinesand therapeutics.

Still, more than 100 18-wheeler trucks amassed with othervehicles on Friday evening at the Hagerstown Speedway, a Maryland racetrack about 129 kilometres from downtown Washington,according to Reuters witnesses. Drivers continued to stream intothe parking lot on Saturday morning, one witness said.

A website for the protest said they did not plan to enter"D.C. proper" and social media posts suggested they could remainat the racetrack on Saturday. But one participant who describedhimself as the lead trucker told a cheering crowd at theracetrack on Friday night that he would drive his truck into theheart of the U.S. capital.

"D.C., the government, whomever, can claim that they haveall this opposition for us waiting in D.C.," the man said. "Butthat flag on the back of my truck will go down to ConstitutionAvenue between the White House and the Washington Monument."

A little more than a year ago, supporters of formerRepublican president Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in anattack that left five people dead and more than 100 policeofficers injured.

Extremists 'probably will be drawn to the event,' law enforcement says

U.S. federal law enforcement agencies have been coordinatingwith state and local authorities for weeks in preparation forthe possible arrival of the convoy, said one U.S. official whorequested anonymity to discuss internal operations.

A Feb. 26 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)bulletin to law enforcement reviewed by Reuters said truckerconvoys could hinder emergency responders depending on the sizeof the protest.

The bulletin said federal law enforcement was not aware ofany substantiated threats from domestic violent extremists, butthat some extremists "probably will be drawn to the event andcould engage in premeditated or opportunistic violence."

DHS said the possibility of an attack could be higherbecause COVID-19 restrictions have been a "key driver" of domesticextremist violence over the last two years. Federal officialswould be unlikely to see violent plotting in online publicplatforms beforehand due to the use of encrypted apps andprivate forums, it said.

Federal law enforcement is also cognizant of the need torespect the right to peaceful protest, the official said.

On Friday evening, a woman from nearby Silver Spring,Md., who identified herself only as "Dorothy" said sheopposed COVID-related restrictions and that the issue had causeddivisions in her family and problems at work.

"I think our medical choices are private and we should notbe required to disclose them to participate in everydayactivities," she told Reuters.