A viral TikTok video and meme behind the #IStandWithTruckies anti-vaxxer campaign

In a viral video posted earlier this month, a man with unruly white hair who identifies himself as a truck driver warns viewers of an upcoming protest: “You need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers, the truckies are coming and they’re going to bring this country down.”

Clips were played on Sky News Australia and featured in the Daily Mail in the past week as visual evidence of truckie unrest. But both mainstream outlets cut the video off before the speaker went on to falsely claim that vaccines are poison and allude to the unproven claim that COVID-19 emerged from a Wuhan lab.

These differing but ultimately complementary narratives of discontent with governments have coalesced into a rapidly growing, disorganised campaign for Australia’s truck drivers to block major roads into capital cities this week. 

Built off the back of viral videos on platforms like TikTok, Facebook and Telegram and boosted by networks of the online global right, nearly 100,000 people have joined online spaces built around the campaign in just a week — with people pledging to take action. 

In the process, existing conspiracists and groups — including one Australian woman who was ordered to pay nearly a million dollars for repeatedly defaming a politician — have inserted themselves in the movement. The end result demonstrates how decentralised campaigns organised online can be co-opted and derailed by fringe and conspiracy groups. 

The campaign’s purpose differs depending on who you ask. Is it a protest about COVID restrictions placed on truck drivers? Is it an anti-vaccine and lockdown movement led by truckies? Is it an attempt to overthrow every Australian government? Like the frequent “freedom” protests against Australia’s public health orders, the grab bag of different gripes against authorities and institutions gives it a broader base of possible support. There’s something in there for any dissenter.

Murmurs of truckie discontent started weeks ago. Earlier this month, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that authorised workers such as freight truck drivers would either have to be vaccinated or undergo rapid antigen testing to be able to work outside their areas. A decision to close truckstops and roadhouses because of the pandemic was announced and overturned soon after following heated opposition from drivers. 

Initial proposals for some kind of action began swirling around the edges of the internet on platforms like Telegram, Twitter and Facebook halfway through August. 

Momentum really started when a series of videos from people claiming to be truck drivers promoting a protest about COVID vaccines went viral on TikTok. The hyper-algorithmic engine of TikTok means that videos from users that struck a chord can be shown to hundreds of thousands or millions of people, far quicker than places like Facebook, Instagram or Telegram. 

These videos were then crossposted to the other platforms, seeding communities there. A “We Support Aussie Truckies 🇦🇺🦘” Facebook group emerged as a major space for the movement, gaining nearly 70,000 followers in a week. Telegram channels, which are almost completely unmoderated and filled with misinformation, popped up with thousands of followers. 

From there, plans crystallised around the idea that truck drivers would strike on the August 31. Memes claiming that truckers “are planning to bring the entire country to a halt to protest the COVID tyranny and vaccines imposed on Australians and New Zealanders”. 

Around this time, elements of the #IStandWithTruckies movement began to combine with a much more fringe plan from a serial conspiracist to overthrow Australia’s governments.

Karen Brewer is a well-known fabricist who uses social media to share her smorgasbord of conspiracy beliefs: everything from a parliamentary pedophile ring to the influence of the Freemasons. Last year she was ordered to pay Nationals MP Anne Webster $875,000 in damages for hundreds of defamatory claims, and was labelled “delusional” by the judge.

While not as influential as other conspiracy groups in Australia, Brewer has spread a message to her followers for more than a month about a plan to go to each council chambers, Parliament House and the home of the governor-general on August 31. She claims that thousands will assemble on that date and overthrow these governments. 

As the #IStandWithTruckies campaign grew, it was cross-pollinated with elements of Brewer’s plan in places like Telegram — although it’s not clear whether the simultaneous dates came first or if Brewer’s date was the catalyst for the blockade date. Many posts promoting the blockade also promoted Brewer’s coup plans.

A meme shared on August 23 showing how #IStandWithTruckies combined with a fantasy coup attempt

As the movement grew, it started to gain attention from bigger sources outside these communities. On top of the mainstream media coverage (which either downplayed or in some cases ignored its anti-vaxxer roots), members of Australian and global online populist right and conspiracy groups boosted it. Senator Pauline Hanson repeatedly posted interviews she did on the topic to her Facebook page, where she has one of the biggest reaches of any Australian politician.

Figures like the far-right Rebel News, anti-vaxxer group Reignite Democracy Australia, and the influential global libertarian Zero Hedge covered the protests. Trump-supporting truckers sent supporting videos.

As far back as a week ago, the protest was amplified by groups of users on Twitter who work together — whether formally or just by habit of promoting those with similar views — to promote these narratives, according to analysis from QUT senior lecturer Timothy Graham. 

Analysis of Twitter accounts tweeting #IStandWithTruckies

“Seems to be some loosely coordinated retweet amplification happening,” he told Crikey. 

Confusingly, another completely separate truck driver protest was simultaneously happening. Thousands of Toll Transport employees took part in a strike late last week over using contractors. The strike was widely covered and social media posts from the union that also used the #IStandWithTruckies hashtag was interpreted by some as part of the other protests as proof of support for their very different campaign. 

As the end of the month approached, splits began to emerge in the group due to its leaderless nature, diverse group membership and lack of structures. Some began to promote a protest a day earlier to avoid affiliation with Brewer’s efforts. Others questioned whether anyone was committed to blocking roads, even if it meant penalties. Many seemed confused whether the protests were going ahead.

On Monday morning, some truck drivers blocked a major Gold Coast highway for over an hour. Their trucks were emblazoned with a professionally made banner saying “Truckies keep Australia moving, not politicians”. Protesters held out phones filming themselves. One even had a GoPro camera strapped to his chest.

In an interview with a Today show reporter, one driver said he was happy to be fined for stopping traffic: “There’s risks in everything you do.”

Reaction to the morning’s protest were mixed. Some supporters cheered, but others lamented the small turnout. Hanson, who appeared at the protest, drew the ire of some after she was filmed telling the truckies to move their vehicles, saying they had “proved their point now”. 

One Australian conspiracy-promoting Telegram creator who has more than 33,000 followers and has been amplifying the action (Crikey is not naming him to avoid promoting him further) posted a video after the protest. In seven minutes, he criticised those “armchair generals” for failing to stand up about vaccines while also saying that he wasn’t endorsing the action. 

“You do you, keep the faith, let’s see what happens over the next 22 to 48 hours, hopefully there is some sort of organisation happening here in Australia. I don’t know. I’m just here to commentate,” he said.