People’s Convoy drives into Washington

In the first escalation since protesters congregated in Hagerstown, Md., on March 4, drivers headed into the capital Monday, blaring horns and causing traffic jams. The People’s Convoy has driven around the Capital Beltway, which encircles Washington, D.C., almost daily since March 6 to protest COVID vaccine and mask mandates. Protesters took the weekend off due to a heavy snowstorm. On Monday, leaders said it was time to move in closer.

What happened? Police blocked exits along Interstates 395 and 295 as well as the Beltway to prevent protesters from driving into the city center, but that blocked all area commuters and triggered massive gridlocks. Truckers livestreamed video showing some drivers yelling at the protesters and others waving a thumbs up. Eastbound traffic stopped along a 4-mile stretch in the middle of the day. Police began reopening exits mid-afternoon as the convoy crawled out of the city back to Hagerstown. Convoy leaders applied for a two-week permitted protest on the National Mall starting Monday, The Washington Post reported, but the National Park Service partially denied the request due to other scheduled events.

Dig deeper: Read my report from Hagerstown about why protesters have joined the convoy.