Alaska truckers form convoy to support Canadian protests

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska truck drivers have rallied in support of their counterparts in Canada who oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates with a convoy.

More than 100 truck drivers on Sunday drove the 10 miles from Anchorage to Eagle River to support truckers in Canada who have been protesting vaccine mandates in Ottawa, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Truck drivers and other service providers since Jan. 15 can only enter Canada if they are fully vaccinated. A week later, the U.S. required vaccinations from essential non-resident travelers.

“We have to have the shot stamps on our medical cards in order to go out of state, and we don’t want them,” said Jeremy Speldrich, a truck driver with GMG General, Inc. of Anchorage. “Mandates should be our choice, whether you want the shots or not.”

Another protest convoy took trucks from Eagle River north to the Wasilla area. Similar events were held Sunday in Fairbanks and late last month in Juneau.