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Australian truckers shut down roads to protest vaccine mandates

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A group of truck drivers blocked one of Queensland’s busiest freeways as part of protest against government lockdowns and vaccine mandates, causing major delays throughout the morning.

The truckers parked two trucks across the southbound lanes of the M1 motorway at Reedy Creek, south of Brisbane. The protest which was announced only an hour before it began in a n effort to thwart police attempts began at 6am, shortly thereafter traffic started to back up for several kilometres. The truckers wrapped the protest up by 7am after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson who was supporting the rally told them it was time to move on.

Draped across the front of one of the trucks was a banner reading “Truckies keep Australia moving, not politicians”, nearby protesters were holding placards proclaiming that they weren’t antivax but rather “pro-choice”.

Tony Fulton, a popular Australian truck driver with a large following on his social media pages told fans that he was prepared to be arrested to stand up for “Australian rights”. Fulton told 7News that “we want to end these lockdowns – we don’t want forced vaccinations and we want to open up the country and learn to live with the virus”.

Earlier he posted a video vowing to participate in the protest, telling his followers that he was “more scared” of the vaccine than the virus itself. Fulton claimed that “I’m someone that does a bit of research. From what I’ve seen from my research with credible scientists and doctors and stuff, I do not want to get the vaccine.” 

nsions have flared within the trucking industry after some jurisdictions introduced vaccine requirements for authorised workers who cross state borders. A growing number of drivers have signalled their opposition to this and are promising to fight on even if future demonstrations fail.“I don’t believe that businesses or states should be allowed to force this on you” Fulton said of the vaccine.

Fulton also told reporters that “customer contacted the transport company I work for to say if drivers are not vaccinated, they will not be allowed on site. So, it doesn’t come down to whether you need to be vaccinated to get over the border, its actually to load.” Fulton said that if he is required to get the vaccine then he doesn’t know “what I’m going to do.” A GoFundMe page has been set up to help financially support truckers when they launch similar demonstrations in the future.

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: 9NEWS

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