WHATELY — With flags swaying and truck horns blaring, a convoy of trucks making its way to Washington, D.C., made a brief stop at the Whately Diner Wednesday afternoon to fuel up and greet supporters.
An extension of similar protests that took place in Canada, the U.S. “Truckers’ Freedom Convoy” is protesting COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates put in place by companies and towns. More than 100 people showed up to the Whately Diner to peacefully demonstrate and greet the truckers.
“I’ve been fighting this since they first put masks on our kids two years ago,” said Whately resident and rally co-organizer Meghan Ashman. “I think people should have the freedom to choose. Nobody should have to do anything they don’t want to.”
Ashman said she has been “connected” in a network of Facebook groups and heard some truckers were coming through the Pioneer Valley, which prompted her to try to bring people together to support them on their drive to Washington, D.C. She said it was great to see so many people attend.
People from all over the region filled the Whately Diner’s parking lot, which raised parking concerns among the staff and Whately Police Department, but traffic was able to flow in and out freely. Whately Police Chief James Sevigne said the Police Department had not heard about the rally until Tuesday. He said his only concern was to make sure the entrances were clear so trucks could enter without endangering anyone.
Those in attendance aired a variety of grievances through their statements and — sometimes vulgar — signs, but chief among them were vaccine mandates required by trucking companies.
Whately resident Shelly Yagodzinski said the rally was about citizens’ passion for the United States and their freedom.
“We love this country,” Yagodzinski said. “We want to end the mandate.”
Belchertown resident Jennifer Longacre echoed Yagodzinski’s sentiment, saying people are joining together for a common cause.
“We as Americans are pulling together to fight for our freedom,” Longacre said, adding that the goal of those at the rally is to “end the mandates and get our country back.”
The U.S. convoy of truckers mirrors the similar group that crippled the Canadian capital of Ottawa for several weeks in January and February. Truckers also temporarily blocked the Ambassador Bridge, a major trade route that connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. The Canadian convoy, which was broken up by police, inspired other protests around the world.
Amherst resident Pan Tan said she was at the Whately Diner to “support all the truckers” and said she was “especially” concerned about vaccine mandates.
“It shouldn’t be mandated,” she said.
Tan, and others, said they supported the Canadian trucker movement and hoped their American counterparts could have a greater effect.
“I support them; I think they were unfairly reported on,” Tan said. “I feel for Canada because they have more invasion of privacy than we have.”
With COVID-19 cases plummeting across the country and in the region, many in attendance were hopeful that mandates would be dropped in the near future.
“I hope so,” Yagodzinski said when asked if she thinks mandates will be rescinded.
The group was greeted with a cacophony of supportive horns as the convoy made up of several tractor-trailers and cars flying American and Canadian flags pulled into the diner’s plaza. As they fueled up their rigs, supporters flocked to the Christian Lane overpass over Interstate 91 to send the truckers on their way to Washington, D.C.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.