But after an initial surge in online support for the convoy, factional squabbles, arguments between several key organisers, disagreements over aims, and even a call to storm parliament saw their support melting away.

“The value is more in the entertainment, people want to follow a kind of reality TV unfolding in front of their eyes,” Niko Pyrhönen from the University of Helsinki, a researcher who followed the evolution of the convoy on its Telegram channel, said. “Inside the groups they’ve been very disorganised, and had many disagreements” he told Euronews.

I agree with the researcher, watching the protests and following the movement has been better than any reality TV or comedy. Several trolls have infiltrated the movement’s Telegram groups and Zello channels, streamed it into YouTube and trolled them into oblivion. It’s pure comedy gold.

The convoy movement’s founder got really pissed at Nazis and Anti-Semites amongst its members while rabbling about Jesus at the same time. The result? Many Nazis got pissed, calling it the “Goyvoy Finland”. Because many people came to the protests drunk and harming the police and the govermnent didn’t come to negotiate with the protesters (LOL), the movement has already splintered into smaller factions.

Now the far-right and QAnon-adjacent VKK (Power Belongs to the People) party has officially withdrawn its support from the convoy movement, calling it “a project by Antifa and XR”. VKK could have had a chance to co-opt the movement and tie COVID denialism tighter into far-right politics. The party’s chairman Ano Turtiainen called any members participating in the protests “fucking idiots”. This has backfired, as a wedge has formed between the party’s management and supporters.