Chapter 13 photos - Boom Truck Ben

Screen capture of Ben from a Rumble podcast/video interview with Ordinary Joe (click image to watch video)

• trucker from small town, southwestern Ontario

• drove a mobile crane/flatbed to Ottawa where it became the main stage

• aged 40 at the time of the protest

Ben’s truck the day he departed for Ottawa - Thursday, 27 January 2022.

Ben greeting supporters in Ottawa. Photo supplied by him.

Greeting supporters. Photo supplied by Ben.

Ben’s truck the first night in Ottawa, before it became the protest’s main stage. Photo supplied by him.

In the video above, Ben attaches and raises his flag on the first evening. A second video is here.

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This photo of Ben’s truck, taken by a person unknown, appears 8 seconds into the interview he did with Bright Light News (click image to watch video)

Ben being pepper-sprayed at point-blank range.

Photo supplied by Ben. It’s worth noticing the relative size of the ball directly beneath the flag aloft in the air. That’s the alleged ‘wrecking ball.’

Photo supplied by Leon, who comments: ‘The first raising of my donated flag (Feb. 3).’

The letter that accompanied Leon’s flag.

Raising the flag. Photo supplied by Leon.

Photo supplied by Leon. This is Sparks Street, Ottawa’s famous pedestrian thoroughfare.

original Substack posts about Ben:

• The Crane Operator & the Bulgarian Immigrant: She gave me a hug, she held me so tight.

• Pepper Sprayed Point Blank in the Face: Assaulted by multiple police officers.

• A War for Freedom: Fought by peaceful means.

• Boom Truck Ben: Used as a stage throughout the protest, Ben's truck revealed the melodramatic, parallel universe inhabited by Canada's political class.

• Super Stoked and Happy: Members of the public felt 'change in the air, something beautiful was happening.'

• They Were Yelling & Screaming: Ben asked the cops, ‘Why are you doing this? What's wrong with you?'

• Love You Can Feel: Since when is standing up for freedom of choice criminal?

• The Flag Master & the Maple Leaf: Peace Tower flags are changed frequently, then gifted to Canadians.

• Ottawa Resident Donates Rare Flag to Truckers: Born and raised in the nation's capital, Leon says the protest 'was the most safe and enjoyable atmosphere I've ever felt downtown.'

• A Lonely Time: 'Things seemed to be getting worse and worse until the Convoy started.'