One thousand trucks begin 11-day drive from California to D.C. TODAY to protest COVID mask and vaccine mandates

As many as 1,000 truckers are expected to gather in California on Wednesday to embark on an 11-day trek to Washington DC in an effort to protest what they claim are unconstitutional COVID-19 mandates.

The People's Convoy - inspired by Canada's Freedom Convoy which included weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the US - argues the 'government has forgotten its place' and seeks to advocate for all Americans. 

It has called on the federal government to end the National Emergency enacted at the start of the pandemic, arguing that the threat posed by the virus has now receded. President Joe Biden extended the emergency - which was set to expire next week - last Friday, arguing 'the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant risk to the public health and safety of the nation'.

Biden elected to extend the National Emergency despite calls from 70 House Republicans and Department of Health and Human Service Secretary Xavier Becerra urging him to end the declaration. The leaders cited access to vaccines, treatments and mental health impacts as reasons to let the order expire, as well as the fact that other nations have started transitioning out of pandemic restrictions.