Belgian authorities say they have intercepted 30 vehicles as police scramble to stop a Canada-style protest convoy against Covid-19 regulations from reaching Brussels, reports AFP.

Demonstrators in the self-proclaimed “freedom convoy” are seeking to head north to the seat of the European Union in defiance of a Belgian ban after a weekend trying to block traffic in France.

Brussels mayor Philippe Close told local RTBF radio that a total of 400-500 cars and vans have been spotted en route for the Belgian capital.

“About 30 have been blocked and the others have vanished into thin air,” Close said.