Raphael Satter

(Reuters) – A trucker protest that was supposed to take place in conjunction with the Super Bowl seems to have failed, according to a monitoring company for social media.

Following media reports on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo advising of disruptions surrounding Sunday’s Super Bowl on Sunday, social media saw a significant increase in media coverage about anti-vaccine truckers who allegedly planned to descend upon Los Angeles.

The memo drew attention amid signs that the Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” protests, started in the national capital Ottawa by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, is inspiring copycat demonstrations elsewhere.

However, while similar protests inspired by the Ottawa protests gained steam in Australia, New Zealand and Europe, rallies like those in the United States are slower to start, despite much chatter within extremist circles, as well as favorable coverage from right-wing outlets, such is Fox News’s. U.S. organizers included Penny Faye from “Convoy to Save America” told Reuters on Friday that convoys were being planned for next weekend or the first month of next month.

Welton Chang of Pyrra in Washington said that “I believe they ran outof time”. Welton Chang also mentioned the inconsistency surrounding whether or not the marquee sporting event should be targeted.

A Reuters survey of social media also showed little support for a Super Bowl Plan.

TruckersForFreedom was a Telegram channel that shares news about protests around the world, but there wasn’t any mention of one.

One poll was conducted by a partner channel that is purportedly dedicated to Super Bowl rallies. It asked participants if they would like to take part in the protest. The overwhelming majority (8,000) of those who participated said no.