Anti-vaxx rally - latest: Outrage at RFK Jr Holocaust comments at vaccine mandate opponents gathering in DC
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Covid-19 vaccine mandate opponents gathered today for a march in Washington, DC in an event organisers called “Defeat the Mandates: An American Homecoming”.
Among those marching are firefighters, teachers, first responders, and other groups, who congregated on the National Mall from 10.30am local time. At 11.30am they began walking from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial.
Speeches included remarks from anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr, controversial doctor Robert Malone, and TV producer Del Bigtree, CEO of the anti-vaccination group Informed Consent Action Network.
Mr Kennedy’s comparison of vaccines to the Holocaust caused outrage online with the Auschwitz Memorial labelling such exploitative language as “a sad symptom of moral and intellectual decay”. Mr Bigtree’s rhetoric promising a Nuremberg trial for medical professionals and the press received a similar backlash from a survivor of The Capitol Gazette attack.
The event was billed as a gathering of those who oppose vaccine mandates, vaccines for children, and other pandemic requirements and restrictions, but most of the speakers are prominently against the vaccine itself.
A permit filed with the National Park Service states that the march could attract as many as 20,000 people, but numbers were much lower than anticipated.
Follow for the latest updates...
Key points
RFK Jr gives conspiracy-laden speech
Dr Robert Malone claims vaccines may ‘damage children’
Focus of event on mandates, but anti-vaxx activists attending
Outrage over RFK Holocaust comparison
Photojournalist slams Bigtree tirade against media
What next for the anti-vaxx/mandate movement?
‘Wanted’ posters for public health officials seen on bus
Sunday 23 January 2022 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A Twitter user has posted a photograph of a bus emblazoned with “Wanted” posters of public health officials, Bill Gates, Jacob Rothschild, and others.
The anti-vaccine mandate march happening today billed itself as bringing together people with a diverse range of viewpoints.
And I've got to hand it to them, I've thus far seen both photos of people comparing public health measures to Nazism and this on the side of a bus. pic.twitter.com/UaBueS7OTl— Mallory Harris (@malar0ne) January 23, 2022
Crowd grows as program kicks off
Sunday 23 January 2022 17:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Speeches have begun, but reports from the ground suggest the crowd size is yet to reach the expected tens of thousands. One estimate puts it at approximately 3,000 people, though this may still grow further.
Right now: At Lincoln Memorial, thousands have arrived for anti-vax-mandate protest. Some still walking past Capitol reflecting pool to get here. pic.twitter.com/4tNix9mZxL
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) January 23, 2022
The unvaccinated, unmasked crowd was just encouraged to hug each other by the current speaker.
Speakers cite MLK
Sunday 23 January 2022 17:36 , Oliver O'Connell
Several speakers have now cited Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
JP Levy and Kevin Jenkins, have both referred to MLK, comparing this event and the anti-mandate movement to the civil rights movement.
Speakers at the “Defeat the Mandates” March are all repeatedly citing MLK to cheers from the crowd.
“We’re here to apologize to Dr. King…he knew you can’t comply your way out of tyranny,” anti-vaccine comedian JP Sears says introducing the event. pic.twitter.com/7hpGdpRiXT— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
“(MLK) sacrificed himself for us; are you ready to sacrifice yourself for your children?” said Jenkins.
Here at the Defeat The Mandates March in Washington DC, speakers are invoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Dr. King wasn’t a mandate guy” pic.twitter.com/XO9CPWPjuK— Will Carless (@willcarless) January 23, 2022
Big cheers for anti-vaxx doctors
Sunday 23 January 2022 17:51 , Oliver O'Connell
At least three anti-vax doctor speakers have referred to current Covid policies as “crimes against humanity”, to chants of “lock them up”.
Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, anti-vax doctors are getting heroes’ reception from crowd of thousands for being “silenced” and “censored.”
Worth noting that many of them have made significant $$ promoting and selling “wonder drugs” like ivermectin, books, etc pic.twitter.com/fxReSHko9n— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell
“They are killing us with censorship and propaganda,” says one speaker, saying the public is being starved of information about cheap alternative Covid-19 treatments that are nothing to do with big pharma.
He does not expand on what these alleged treatments are.
Another speaker rails against not letting other people (medical professionals) decide on treatments for you and your children.
The next speaker then argues that doctors need to be allowed to be doctors.
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:02 , Oliver O'Connell
Mixed crowd but largest right-leaning protest in a year
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:13 , Oliver O'Connell
While the crowd is a mix, the majority are right-leaning judging by the banners and flags. This would be the largest such rally since the 6 January 2021 Trump event at the Ellipse.
Crowds shoulder to shoulder packed on the steps ahead of the Lincoln Memorial.
This isn’t exclusively right-of-center identifying attendees, but I would generally say this is the biggest right-of-center protest in DC in a little over a year. pic.twitter.com/zpLhSMn6ey— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) January 23, 2022
Vaccine mandates called ‘segregation'
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Justin Moyer of The Washington Post spoke with two organic farmers who came to speak out against the “segregation” of mandates. They believe they do not need injections and their bodies can regenerate.
Two organic farmers said they were dismayed that New York City was excluding the unvaccinated from public accommodations. They came to speak out against this unnecessary “segregation,” one said.
“We believe our body can regenerate itself,” one said. “We do not need injections.” pic.twitter.com/B8vEC46QmB— Justin Wm. Moyer (@justinwmmoyer) January 23, 2022
Dr Robert Malone claims vaccines may ‘damage children’
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:39 , Oliver O'Connell
Robert Malone, the anti-vaccine doctor who shot to fame on Joe Rogan’s podcast, spoke from the steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial by invoking Martin Luther King Jr’s famous speech, saying that today’s antivaxx marchers are “standing on the shoulders of giants”.
“Honest words, spoken from the heart, can change the world,” he said.
“I come to you with an open heart, as a physician committed to healing, bringing three simple words...integrity, dignity, community.”
The controversial doctor, pausing to cough several times, claimed that the vaccines against Covid-19 are not working and are not keeping people safe. He then went on to say that “these genetic vaccines may damage your children”.
His central theme revolved around the sentiment that “if there is risk, there must be choice”.
“The truth is like a lion. It doesn’t need defending. Just let it loose and it will defend itself.”
‘Covid should never have been politicised’
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:50 , Oliver O'Connell
“Covid should never have been politicised” says Dr Robert Malone, surrounded by “F***Joe Biden” and “Trump 2024” and “Fascist Fauci” flags.
“COVID should never have been politicized” says Dr. Robert Malone, surrounded by “Fuck Joe Biden” and “Trump 2024” and “Fascist Fauci”
flags, at a rally that included “Lock them up” chants and “A little cold? Communism’s colder so deal with it.” pic.twitter.com/V1PC9spRdK— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
Crowd appears smaller than anticipated
Sunday 23 January 2022 18:59 , Oliver O'Connell
Those on the ground appear to confirm that the crowd is perhaps smaller than organisers were hoping for. USA Today’s Ella Lee posted this photo from the back.
Crowd from the back: pic.twitter.com/hXmroLLptX
— Ella Lee (@ByEllaLee) January 23, 2022
Speakers rail against vaccine
Sunday 23 January 2022 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell
While the organisers insist the spirit of today is about being against vaccine mandates, all of the speakers have railed against the vaccine itself claiming various side effects and long-term damage, especially in children. There is no evidence to back up their claims.
Organizers insist this isn’t an anti-vax rally but an anti-mandates rally for vaccinated & unvaccinated to come together.
All speakers have railed against vaccines, saying they cause “heart and brain inflammation,” infertility & have hospitalized thousands of children pic.twitter.com/BSLzXJEcPv— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
Latest US Covid data
Sunday 23 January 2022 19:29 , Oliver O'Connell
For context, as of today, there have been more than 70.5 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US.
More than 865,000 Americans are officially recorded as having died from the virus.
Worldwide, there have been just under 350 million cases and 5.59 million deaths.
Joe Rogan got some of the loudest cheers
Sunday 23 January 2022 19:49 , Oliver O'Connell
Some of the loudest cheers at today’s “Defeat the Mandates” rally have been for...Joe Rogan.
After booing mainstream media for allegedly covering up vaccine deaths/injuries, a speaker just said “If they won’t speak to us, maybe Joe Rogan will” to cheers & applause.
What a time pic.twitter.com/lnBBQUK2QP— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
RFK Jr gives conspiracy-laced speech
Sunday 23 January 2022 20:04 , Oliver O'Connell
Robert F Kennedy Jr, one of the most anticipated speakers of the day, gave a conspiracy-laced speech that ranged from questioning the testing and safety of the vaccines to calling big pharma “criminal companies” and “serial felony offenders”. He also railed against Bill Gates, satellites, and 5G technology at one point.
“Every power they take from us, they will ultimately abuse to the maximum extent possible...” he told the crowd.
“Nobody in history on the planet has ever complied their way out of totalitarian control.”
At the antivaxx rally in DC, RFK Jr. says that in the future "none of us can run and none of us can hide" because of Bill Gates' satellites and also 5G, unlike... the Holocaust.
"Even in Hitler's Germany, you could hide in the attic like Anne Frank did." pic.twitter.com/bRtmDBTxZl— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 23, 2022
Sunday 23 January 2022 20:07 , Oliver O'Connell
‘Those who overthrow the constitution, we’re coming for you'
Sunday 23 January 2022 20:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Del Bigtree, the TV producer CEO of the anti-vaccination group Informed Consent Action Network, promised that “those who overthrow the constitution, we’re coming for you”.
He also claimed that he wanted to put Dr Anthony Fauci and other medical experts on trial in addition to members of the media for disseminating information about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Bigtree referred to the unmasked crowd as “superspreaders of truth” and told them to “rise up”.
Bus load of Freedom lovers heading to the Lincoln Memorial for DefeatTheMandatetsDC .com if you are within 200 miles of DC you won’t want to miss this. Farther than that - Watch LIVE on TheHighWire dot com. #Winning pic.twitter.com/8kJpDgp01k
— Del Bigtree (@delbigtree) January 23, 2022
Smaller crowd than expected
Sunday 23 January 2022 20:49 , Oliver O'Connell
A smaller crowd than expected arrived in Washington, DC to protest vaccine mandates and pandemic restrictions.
A permit issued by the National Park Service revealed that the rally organisers thought that as many as 20,000 people would attend, but The Washington Post estimated that a group of several thousand had made it to the National Mall by Sunday afternoon.
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.
Smaller crowd than expected protests vaccine mandates in Washington DC
Carhartt stands firm on employee vaccine mandate
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell
American workwear company Carhartt is standing by its decision to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for employees, even as critics have threatened to boycott the company.
Gino Spocchia reports.
Carhartt holds firm on employee vaccine mandate: ‘We stand behind our decision’
Rally draws to a close
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:24 , Oliver O'Connell
Shortly after Del Bigtree finished speaking, the sound system appeared to cut out.
According to an earlier announcement, power to the microphones would be cut at 3.30pm sharp, and so there was a rush to get several speakers on stage ahead of that deadline — presumably due to permitting at the site.
After 3.30pm a loudhailer was brought out in an attempt to continue, but livestreams and much of the crowd appeared unable to hear what was being said. Before the video feed ended, those at the back of the crowd began to drift away.
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Bigtree threatens Fauci and journalists with Nuremberg trial
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Del Bigtree threatens Fauci, Birx, Biden, and the press with a Nuremberg trial.
He singles out the press for acting as a “propaganda machine”.
Most people are wildly underestimating how both large and rhetorically violent this anti-vaccine movement is.
They are a gigantic, one-issue political movement that will eventually coalesce behind one candidate and make extreme demands before 2024.
Buckle up.— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 23, 2022
Bigtree invokes God while railing against media
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:35 , Oliver O'Connell
“Get back to your master, which is God.”
Del Bigtree is...yelling at the media a lot, and talking about God a lot.
At one point he tells journalists to "get back to your master, which is God," by which he seems to mean reporting differently about COVID-19 vaccines? pic.twitter.com/DBzlCiGtRc— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) January 23, 2022
Members of Harris staff exposed to Covid
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:43 , Oliver O'Connell
An update from the White House pool report:
A White House official says: “On Friday night during the drive from the airport in Los Angeles to the hotel in Los Angeles several members of the vice president’s staff were close contacts with a member of the advance team who has since tested positive for Covid.”
“No members of the media were close contacts with this individual and the vice president was not a close contact with this individual. The staff members will not travel with the vice president on Monday.”
The vice president’s trip is still going forward but those staff members who were close contacts are not going to travel with her.
Photojournalist slams Bigtree tirade against media
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:48 , Oliver O'Connell
Photojournalist Paul Gillespie expresses his disgust at Del Bigtree’s tirade against the media.
He tweets: “Del Bigtree, I survived a murderous mass shooting in my newsroom. My head nearly taken off by a shotgun blast, missing by an inch. Five Capital Gazette family members were killed around me.
“Your thoughts/words are disgusting/inhuman. No one should have such hate in their heart.”
Del Bigtree, I survived a murderous mass shooting in my newsroom. My head nearly taken off by a shotgun blast, missing by an inch. Five Capital Gazette family members were killed around me.
Your thoughts/words are disgusting/inhuman.
No one should have such hate in their heart https://t.co/7cKDNM3RyI— Paul W. Gillespie (@pwgphoto) January 23, 2022
Outrage over RFK Holocaust comparisons
Sunday 23 January 2022 21:56 , Oliver O'Connell
Vaccine scientist Professor Peter Hotez has hit out on Twitter at Robert Kennedy Jr’s “antivaccine disinformation, aggression, dog whistles” and extremist rhetoric, specifically for comparing vaccines to the Holocaust.
Since June 200,000 unvaccinated Americans lost their lives needlessly to COVID19, victims of antivaccine disinformation, aggression, dog whistles from extremists who compare vaccines to the Holocaust, or promote conspiracies about Bill Gates, Tony Fauci, Me, other US scientists https://t.co/vBOiCxzIHn
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) January 23, 2022
Professor Hotez’s tweet received a reply from the Auschwitz Memorial: “Exploiting of the tragedy of people who suffered, were humiliated, tortured and murdered by the totalitarian regime of Nazi Germany — including children like Anne Frank — in a debate about vaccines and limitations during [a] global pandemic is a sad symptom of moral and intellectual decay.”
Response from @AuschwitzMuseum: https://t.co/l0ZbSo4yYh
— Annabelle (@Folon15) January 23, 2022
Senator Ron Johnson hosting Covid panel tomorrow
Sunday 23 January 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin will host a panel discussion tomorrow involving several of today’s speakers.
It is billed as “Covid-19: A Second Opinion” and Senator Johnson will act as moderator.
A lot of the speakers at today’s anti-vaccine mandate rally are participating on a panel hosted by Sen. Ron Johnson tomorrow. It’s billed as “COVID-19: A Second Opinion" pic.twitter.com/eTzhF939wz
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
Four Pillars of Pandemic Response
Dr. Peter McCullough
Pillar 1: Limit the spread
Dr. Bret Weinstein
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya
Pillar 2: Early at Home Treatment
Dr. Ryan Cole
Dr. Harvey Risch
Dr. George Fareed
Dr. Pierre Kory
Dr. Richard Urso
Pillar 3: Hospital Treatment
Dr. Paul Marik
Dr. Aaron Kheriaty
Pillar 4: Vaccines
Dr. Robert Malone
Dr. David Wiseman
What next for the anti-vaccine/mandate movement?
Sunday 23 January 2022 22:17 , Oliver O'Connell
Ben Collins of NBC News writes: “Most people are wildly underestimating how both large and rhetorically violent this anti-vaccine movement is.
“They are a gigantic, one-issue political movement that will eventually coalesce behind one candidate and make extreme demands before 2024.”
He adds: “Buckle up.”
Most people are wildly underestimating how both large and rhetorically violent this anti-vaccine movement is.
They are a gigantic, one-issue political movement that will eventually coalesce behind one candidate and make extreme demands before 2024.
Buckle up.— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 23, 2022
Time’s Vera Bergengruen writes: “A lot of people dismissing the groups here today as a bunch of online conspiracy theorists are going to get a rude awakening. The larger anti-vaccine (/“anti mandates”) wing is a growing political movement bringing together many of the anti-government threads of the past decade.”
A lot of people dismissing the groups here today as a bunch of online conspiracy theorists are going to get a rude awakening. The larger anti-vaccine (/“anti mandates”) wing is a growing political movement bringing together many of the anti-government threads of the past decade pic.twitter.com/uzDjXAOVes
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
Auschwitz Memorial hits back at RFK Jr
Sunday 23 January 2022 22:37 , Oliver O'Connell
The Auschwitz Memorial has called Robert F Kennedy Jr’s remarks comparing vaccines to the Holocaust “a sad symptom of moral and intellectual decay”.
Speaking at an anti-vaxx rally in Washington DC on Sunday, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy claimed that in the future “none of us can run and none of us can hide”.
“Bill Gates said his 65,000 satellites alone will be able to look at every square inch of the planet 24 hours a day. They’re putting in 5G to harvest our data and control our behaviour.”
He went on to compare vaccine passports to the Nazi regime.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Auschwitz Memorial hits back at RFK Jr’s anti-vax rant
Conservative see race as factor in Covid treatment as new target
Sunday 23 January 2022 23:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Some conservatives are taking aim at policies that allow doctors to consider race as a risk factor when allocating scarce COVID-19 treatments, saying the protocols discriminate against white people.
The wave of infections brought on by the omicron variant and a shortage of treatments have focused attention on the policies.
Medical experts say the opposition is misleading. Health officials have long said there is a strong case for considering race as one of many risk factors in treatment decisions. And there is no evidence that race alone is being used to decide who gets medicine.
AP
New conservative target: Race as factor in COVID treatment
Tucker Carlson clashes with Howard Stern over Covid-19
00:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has called radio personality Howard Stern a “coward” for sharing his concerns about Covid-19.
The controversial opinion host spent part of Thursday’sTucker Carlson Tonight bashing Stern for “amplifying his fears” about the pandemic and “attacking anybody else who has decided to live life as a free person”.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Tucker Carlson declares war on Howard Stern over Covid-19 concerns
Security was ramped up ahead of today’s march
01:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Gustaf Kilander reports on the preparations ahead of today’s peaceful march.
Security beefed up in Washington DC ahead of major anti-vaxx rally
Aaron Rodgers responds to Biden taunt
02:40 , Oliver O'Connell
NFL star Aaron Rodgers has hit out at Joe Biden after the US president said he wanted the Green Bay Packers to get vaccinated.
Mr Biden made the remark to a Packers fan as he toured an area of Kentucky devastated by tornadoes and told the fan, “Tell that quarterback he’s gotta get the vaccine.”
Rodgers, a friend of podcast host Joe Rogan, caught Covid in November after falsely implying that he had been vaccinated and claimed the NFL had a “two-class system” for vaccinated and unvaccinated players.
Graeme Massie reports.
NFL star Aaron Rodgers hits out at Joe Biden over Covid-19 vaccine taunt
Auschwitz Memorial hits back at RFK Jr
03:40 , Oliver O'Connell
The Auschwitz Memorial has called Robert F Kennedy Jr’s remarks comparing vaccines to the Holocaust “a sad symptom of moral and intellectual decay”.
Speaking at an anti-vaxx rally in Washington DC on Sunday, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy claimed that in the future “none of us can run and none of us can hide”.
“Bill Gates said his 65,000 satellites alone will be able to look at every square inch of the planet 24 hours a day. They’re putting in 5G to harvest our data and control our behaviour.”
He went on to compare vaccine passports to the Nazi regime.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Auschwitz Memorial hits back at RFK Jr’s anti-vax rant
04:30 , Oliver O'Connell
What next for the anti-vaccine/mandate movement?
05:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Ben Collins of NBC News writes: “Most people are wildly underestimating how both large and rhetorically violent this anti-vaccine movement is.
“They are a gigantic, one-issue political movement that will eventually coalesce behind one candidate and make extreme demands before 2024.”
He adds: “Buckle up.”
Time’s Vera Bergengruen writes: “A lot of people dismissing the groups here today as a bunch of online conspiracy theorists are going to get a rude awakening. The larger anti-vaccine (/“anti mandates”) wing is a growing political movement bringing together many of the anti-government threads of the past decade.”
15:54 , Harriet Sinclair
That’s all for our rolling coverage of the anti-vaxx rally in Washington. Thank you for following along.
