Truck drivers planned a three-day protest beginning October 11, 2013, on Washington, D.C.’s Capital Beltway to draw attention to their economic struggles and express dissatisfaction with federal regulations and political leaders. Organized under the name “Truckers Ride for the Constitution,” the demonstration combined industry grievances with a broader appeal to constitutional principles that echoed the early Tea Party movement.

The organizers said independent truckers faced low earnings, high diesel prices and fees, and burdensome rules. Their complaints included Environmental Protection Agency fuel-efficiency standards, state and local anti-idling laws, insurance requirements and technological updates. They also raised concerns about privacy and Fourth Amendment protections in truck cabs. More broadly, the group criticized government surveillance, the national debt and elected officials whom it accused of disregarding the will of the public.

Earl Conlon, a Georgia trucker handling logistics, initially said participants would circle Interstate 495 three lanes deep at the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit, leaving one lane open for emergency vehicles. He suggested that motorists displaying a “T2SDA” sticker—an acronym for the event’s original name, “Truckers to Shut Down America”—would be allowed through. Conlon also threatened a roadblock if police interfered. The extent of any traffic disruption remained uncertain because the number of participating drivers was unclear; a similar trucker protest in 2007 reportedly had little effect on commutes.

The protest’s political demands were inconsistently described. Organizer Zeeda Andrews initially said participants would present demands that included President Barack Obama’s impeachment. Conlon instead said the group sought the arrest of officials it believed had violated their oaths, invoking a “citizens’ grand jury” without court approval. He and Andrews accused Obama of treason over weapons supplied to Syrian rebels, and Conlon named several members of Congress as possible targets. A later update said truckers were no longer planning to arrest members of Congress.

Organizers presented the ride as a peaceful effort to pressure lawmakers, though Conlon suggested the response could change if events became confrontational. Andrews said about 3,000 truckers had expressed interest, while the event’s Facebook page had nearly 50,000 likes.