Federal authorities are fencing off the US Capitol to protect President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address as Washington braces for planned trucker protests.

Federal authorities are reinstalling fencing around the US Capitol as Washington prepares for planned trucker protests inspired by demonstrations in Canada against COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, police said on Sunday.

Taking a cue from demonstrations that paralyzed Canada's capital city for weeks, US truckers on Wednesday plan to embark on a 2,500-mile cross-country drive toward Washington to protest coronavirus restrictions.

Canadian police claim to have retaken the capital Ottawa which has been hit along with other cities by weeks-long demonstrations and seen the Emergency Act imposed for the second time in the country's history. 

US truckers are reportedly planning their “Freedom Convoy” protests against what they refer to as “unlawful [COVID-19] mandates” after similar protests in Canada drew international support from anti-vaccine activists.

The Canadian province of Ontario declares a state of emergency as truck drivers continue their protests against the government’s COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.