Convoys ride through La Salle County; hundreds rally in Oglesby

Truck convoys — sometimes five to six miles long as drivers join in and out along their routes — made their way Saturday afternoon along Interstate 39 through La Salle County.

The truckers joining the Freedom Convoy were greeted by several people waving flags and holding banners at interstate overpasses between Wisconsin and Oglesby.

At the Love’s Travel Stop in Oglesby, hundreds gathered to support the truckers. Route 251 was closed from Route 71 to Peru, and exits near Oglesby were blocked off to control traffic.

Supplies, such as food, were donated for the convoy by those in attendance. The idea is for truckers to make their way to Washington D.C. and demonstrate there. Organizers said they are protesting COVD-19 mitigations. In Illinois, many of these mitigations were loosened, including the mask mandate, which was removed Feb. 28.

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Semi truck drivers not part of the Midwest Freedom Convoy interact Saturday, March 5, 2022, with those attending the rally at Love’s Travel Stop in Oglesby. (Tom Sistak for Shaw Media)