'More People Here Than at Biden's Inauguration': Sea of Patriots Floods DC for Anti-Mandate Rally
Calls for unfettered freedom rang off the hallowed Lincoln Memorial on Sunday as a crowd of about 35,000 turned out in Washington to call for an end to vaccine mandates.
“Americans want democracy back, and this rally is a demand by Americans to get their democracy back,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine critic, told WUSA-TV before the rally’s start.
He also discounted concerns that the “Defeat the Mandates” rally could be a “super spreader” event.
“People have the right to petition their government. And the press has been encouraging all kinds of public gatherings if they fit the narrative,” he told the station. “It’s only if, those issues are only raised, if it’s a gathering that doesn’t fit the narrative.”
Historic day for America to hear the truth about the medical response throughout the crisis. Mandates have no place in a free and civil society where the circle of medical freedom is integral to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We made it clear and you listened. pic.twitter.com/Qp3wg8hcxF
— Peter McCullough, MD MPH (@P_McCulloughMD) January 23, 2022
“Defeat the Mandates” March in DC Today.
The people have had enough.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 23, 2022
Firefighters from across America chant “No mandates” at the ‘Defeat Mandates Rally’ in Washington DC pic.twitter.com/GpNOgZ8S4Q
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) January 23, 2022
Organizer Will Witt said last week that the rally is not about the science of the coronavirus vaccine, it is about the spirit of freedom, according to Fox News.
“You’re going to hear a lot of people talk about on the left say this is a big, anti-vax rally — it’s people coming in to deny science,” he said.
“But this march is about the mandate, and this march is about the Draconian measures that we’re seeing all across this country right now, especially in places like D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco.”
The crowd mobilizes towards the Lincoln Memorial at today’s Defeat the Mandates rally pic.twitter.com/nDVyPwCOfh
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 23, 2022
Defeat the Mandates marchers chant “My Body My Choice” pic.twitter.com/JidcHM2smd
— Sav (@RapidFire_Pod) January 23, 2022
During the rally, Kennedy noted that the government has used the COVID-19 pandemic to cement its power, according to the U.K. Independent.
“Every power they take from us, they will ultimately abuse to the maximum extent possible,” he said
“Nobody in history on the planet has ever complied their way out of totalitarian control,” he said as he encouraged the crowd to keep protesting.
Beautiful site!
— Lisa Marie Lee (@emaq27) January 23, 2022
More people here than at Biden’s inauguration
— hector (@La_mera_verga01) January 23, 2022
‘Every time you comply, you get weaker’: RFK Jr. electrifies anti-mandate rally https://t.co/rlScas9Pop
— Julie Ann (@MsJulie) January 23, 2022
Dr. Robert Malone, a career vaccine researcher and developer, told marchers they were “standing on the shoulders of giants”.
Dr. Peter McCullough criticized the federal government’s response to the virus, according to a Washington Examiner report.
“Not once did we hear an endorsement for our best and compassionate care to each and every American,” McCullough said. “In fact, we heard the opposite through a series of statements, a series of actions that was effectively a chill on early treatment.”
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