Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - For Charles Pellien, the weekend rallies at the base of the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, as well as those occurring on an even larger scale in Detroit, Windsor, Fort Erie and Ottawa, were more than just a demonstration of support for freedom.
For Pellien, it's personal.
Pellien is a longtime local truck driver and previously lived the life of an over-the-road trucker and identifies closely with the reason hundreds gathered to demonstrate on both sides of the Peace Bridge this weekend.
"You're just now starting to realize what happens when there are no truckers or the truckers aren't rolling," Pellien told WBEN near the Peace Bridge just after formally speaking to those at a rally in Pat Sole Park. "They run this country."
Pellien was pointing to the supportive honking trucks that were passing by during the rally and said mandates for their employment are unfair and need to end.
"It's about preserving our freedoms, said Pellien. "It's about standing up and fighting for our freedoms."
Those convictions are exactly why Pellien plans to join an orchestrated convoy to Washington next month and send a message to the federal government. "We the people have the power, not the government and we're showing them that today."
In addition to driving in the convoy, Pellien is working to raise money to support truckers who participate in the trip. "We're raising money for reimbursement to these truckers for what they're doing for everybody else….they're doing this for every citizen in this country."
Pellien is encouraging those interested to support truckers in their convoy efforts by donating via givesendgo.com/wnytrucker.
Pellien parked his truck near the Peace Bridge demonstration and joined the group of hundreds in sending a passionate message to end COVID mandates, a standoff that has brought cross border commerce to a grinding halt in recent weeks. It's an emotional subject for him.
"I'm proud to be a trucker," says Pellien. "It's a great job. It's a great life. It pays very well."
"We'll carry the load, but we need your support."
