The recent covid protests in Canada, where truck convoys have blocked several cities, have spread around the world and a demonstration is planned in Stockholm on Saturday 19 February.

The organizers behind "Freedom convoj Sweden" are critical of vaccine passes but also include a protest against the high fuel prices in the demonstration.

In Canada, the igniting spark was a requirement for vaccination for truck drivers crossing the border into the United States.

In Sweden, however, there is no given connection between vaccine skeptics and the haulage industry's frustration over high fuel prices.

The trade association Sveriges Åkeriföretag wants to emphasize that it is not their members who are behind the planned demonstration.

- The only thing we have in common is that we own trucks.

We do not think it is a professional way of working with lobbying issues, says CEO Mikael Nilsson.

Industry organization distances itself

He sees that the demonstration bundles vaccine protests with the increased fuel prices as a sign that the organizers have problems seeing the issues in a larger context.

Tommy Wreeth, chairman of the Swedish Transport Workers' Union, says that truck drivers are particularly vulnerable when the price of diesel goes up.

What is often missing from haulage companies is a clause in the agreements that adjusts the price when you get increased operating costs, he says.

- It is not a haulier who decides what diesel costs.

You get almost a little cheated because you can not charge for all actual costs, he says.

The haulier owner Tommie Hägglund is affected by the high fuel prices and is thus one of those to whom the demonstration is addressed.

He has three crane trucks but due to the high fuel prices he can only afford to drive two of them now.

"You see thousands of dollars running away"

- You see the thousand-dollar bills running away.

I never fully refuel the cars.

It costs 4,500 kronor and this is the second time I refuel this week, he says.

He thinks it is good to show his dissatisfaction, but thinks that the issue of high fuel prices should be a separate struggle.

How do you see that the demonstration this weekend is also aimed at people who are against vaccine passes, would that be an obstacle for you to participate?

- For me, there are two different demonstrations.

I can not afford to go there, then I would rather they put vehicles in the road on weekdays, not on the weekend, I think that is ineffective.

"Now on Saturday, we are collaborating with several groups under the name Freedom Convoy, which will simultaneously highlight fuel prices and pandemic management," writes Max Winter, one of the organizers of the convoy, in an email to SVT News.

The planned truck procession that will go through Stockholm does not have a police permit, according to police spokesperson Carina Skagerlind.