Full of gas: done. Baggage: done. Itinerary: done. Sylvain de Rochettes must introduce himself “around 9:30 or 10 a.m.” in the parking lot of the Landes commercial area, in Saint-Gaudens (Haute-Garonne), Thursday February 10. This is where his “freedom convoy” will leave, heading for Paris. How many will be like him at the rendezvous? “At least a hundredhe wants to believe. I know a few of them and there are names being added over time.” Normally, it would take him seven hours to cover the 770 kilometers to the capital, via Toulouse, Limoges and Orléans. Not this time. “Exceptionally, the road will be longer”, explains this 36-year-old entrepreneur, specializing in prototyping and 3D printing. “We are going to ride one behind the other, we are going to take regular breaks… We should arrive in Paris on Friday.”
If all goes well, Sylvain de Rochettes will see the Eiffel Tower through his windshield when Amaury Martelet sets off in turn, late Friday morning. His departure is planned for Charleville-Mézières, in the Ardennes, where this man who defines himself as committed to the preservation of the environment resides. Meanwhile, Marc Fouillot, a truck driver in the Lyon region for 27 years, will still be putting sleeping bags and blankets in the trunk. He and his girlfriend, who works in real estate, should be on their way “a priori Friday”. Always direction Paris.
Sylvain, Marc, Amaury… Three people from three different regions in France who come together around the same objective: to say no to health measures put in place by the State to stem the Covid-19 epidemic. For Amaury Martelet, it is about “regain our freedoms, restricted by the current government”with “in particular the compulsory vaccination pass which is an act of freedom, which is not the reflection of a democracy”.
However, “we are not antivax or fascist as some would have you believe”, writes to us an Internet user who does not wish to be quoted. Confirmation with Mark. “Recently, I demonstrated against the vaccination pass on certain Saturdays in Lyon. It is a measure that I do not understand. But it is a person who is triple vaccinated who tells you. up to date on our vaccinesassures the trucker. But that does not prevent us from going to the cinema or to a restaurant. Showing our pass to eat or have a drink is unthinkable.”
No amalgamation either, prays Sylvain de Rochettes who insists on the fact that the “freedom convoy”, which is taking shape, “It’s not the antivax convoy.” “I am not < against the vaccine, I am against the obligation to vaccinate, the systematic side", summarizes the entrepreneur who positions himself “to the left”.
“I imagine a movement à la José Bové at the time. Peaceful, without violence, based on dialogue.”
Sylvain de Rochettesat franceinfo
“This is a pacifist movement. Benevolence and solidarity between citizens are the key words, no degradation is envisaged by this movement”, according to Amaury Martelet. Marc Fouillot does not say anything else: “Before being a driver, I am a citizen. I don’t want to block anyone. I read that we were going to prevent people from eating or shopping, but that’s not right! You know what what I was doing during the first confinement in March 2020? I was supplying food brands…”
The mobilization, inspired by the Canadian movement “Freedom Convoy 2022” (“Freedom Convoy 2022”), recalls the beginnings of the movement of “yellow vests” in France at the end of 2018. It also has its roots in the networks social. At the wheel of his truck, it happened to Marc Fouillot to honk his horn when approaching a roundabout, “at the time”, “to encourage all those who were mobilized”.
For him, the trigger, this time, “It’s been Canada”. “When I saw the images of the truck colleagues over there, in Ottawa, it did something to me. It was very emotional to see all these people, all these trucks one behind the other.” So this 51-year-old driver signed up for the Facebook group “Le Convoi de la liberté”, “almost at its creation. It was last week and there were 5 or 6,000 of us at the time.” This same page brought together 305,000 members, Wednesday noon. We exchange maps, itineraries, tips for accommodation on the way. As the announcement below, posted by a user based in Annecy, Haute-Savoie. For comfort, some advise not to be more than two in the vehicles, others have decided to take out their motorhome.
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How long are they leaving? “Each participation, even partial, is important”, replies Amaury. Sylvain does not know “not yet”. “Between three or four daysthinks Marc Fouillot who asked for holidays on purpose. My boss, who knows about it, told me to be careful”. Marc Fouillot wants “live the adventure as it comes”. To sleep, he “a few contacts in the Paris region”but in reality, it is Brussels that he is aiming for. “Those Who Want It” can reach Belgium on Sunday for a “European convergence” scheduled for Monday. In addition to the French demonstrators, convoys from Austria, Hungary, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy or even Croatia could end up in Brussels. “You’ll see, that’s where it’s mostly going to happen”, warn the driver.