FRANCE – over 1500 vehicles have arrived in Lille ready to start the trip to Brussels. Convoys from all over Europe are getting ready to converge.
It’s time 🔥#ConvoyFrance #TruckersForFreedom2022 #FreedomConvoy pic.twitter.com/rzpGSu2vFz
— Bernie's Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) February 14, 2022
A French freedom convoy arrived in Belgium, will join other convoys later and march to Brussels together. pic.twitter.com/5tpaLB5xGG
— Nickietsang (@nickietsang) February 14, 2022
The Freedom Convoy in Brussels today.pic.twitter.com/3hdDGPgKdh
— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) February 13, 2022
We will have our freedom.
Megatron can’t stop us now.
Hundreds of vehicles taking part in France’s so-called freedom convoy were heading for Brussels on Monday, despite warnings they would be prevented from entering the Belgian capital.
The protest against Covid restrictions and high energy prices shifted its focus to the symbolic heart of the EU after police prevented most of the estimated 3,000 vehicles from entering Paris at the weekend.
About 100 managed to get past the police and converged on the Champs Élysées, where they were eventually dispersed with teargas on Saturday evening.
Belgian police said they had deployed forces along several motorways and stopped about 30 vehicles heading for the capital.
The mayor of the city of Brussels, Philippe Close, said police were directing vehicles to a parking and rest area just outside the city, capable of accepting up to 10,000 vehicles, and warned demonstrators this was the only place they would be allowed to converge and protest.
He said protesters might be allowed to enter Brussels on foot, but they would not be allowed to “take the capital hostage”. The Brussels authorities have banned any demonstrations in the city on Monday.
On Sunday night, French police warned there were about 1,300 vehicles converging on the northern city of Lille, not far from the Belgian border.
The French convoy, inspired by the movement that has paralysed Ottawa in Canada, has brought together those opposed to the vaccine pass, gilets jaunes (yellow vests), and anti-government protesters angered at energy price rises.
Jean-Pierre Schmit, 58, an unemployed man from Toulouse, told Agence France-Presse: “We’re going to Brussels to try and block it to fight against this policy of permanent control.”
Optimus Prime: we salute you.