The Washington Post reports:
Thousands of protesters from across the country — including some of the biggest names in the anti-vaccination movement — descended on the nation’s capital Sunday for a rally against vaccine mandates. Some were white-haired; others were being pushed in strollers. Many wore gear with slogans supporting former president Donald Trump. A group of men in front of a cart with a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag started a chant of “Let’s go Brandon” and “F— Joe Biden” to cheers.
The marchers carried posters and flags that included false statements such as “Vaccines are mass kill bio weapons” and “Trump won.” A bus was parked beside the Washington Monument, wrapped in signs with “ARREST OR EXILE” and displaying pictures of Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates and Jacob Rothschild — the last an echo of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family.
The Independent reports:
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 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
One of the doctors who just spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial is affiliated with America’s Frontline Doctors, a rightwing political group that has sold access to millions worth of ivermectin while pushing the message that vaccines are dangerous https://t.co/ymPyit7UpI
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
“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
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
Side note: so many Florida and DeSantis signs/flags at the “Defeat the Mandates” rally (mostly belonging to people who aren’t from there)
Continue to be fascinated by how my home state has become such a symbol during the pandemic.
(I mean…”Make America Florida”? ?) pic.twitter.com/hrQCQgqrsE
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) January 23, 2022
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
All it took was a little bookending with far-right supervillains Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates, but this speaker got the antivaxxers to loudly and repeatedly cheer and agree with Louis Farrakhan. pic.twitter.com/XJl4YXJV6w
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 23, 2022
Exploiting of the tragedy of people who suffered, were humiliated, tortured & murdered by the totalitarian regime of Nazi Germany – including children like Anne Frank – in a debate about vaccines & limitations during global pandemic is a sad symptom of moral & intellectual decay.
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) January 23, 2022
Although described as a bipartisan event, several of the #DefeatTheMandates rally attendees chanted, “F*ck Joe Biden,” and waived Trump flags. pic.twitter.com/gxJTna1743
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 23, 2022
Noah Malgeri, a Nevada Republican US House candidate, standing near the covid happy face sign. pic.twitter.com/50JobQuaQe
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 23, 2022
A sign comparing Dr. Fauci to Hitler at the #DefeatTheMandates rally. pic.twitter.com/Ua6zAXKMiY
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 23, 2022
Mitchell Bosch, who was at the January 6th Capitol riot, has returned to DC for the #DefeatTheMandates rally. pic.twitter.com/qmYDd6AduS
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 23, 2022
Jordan Peterson is at the #DefeatTheMandates rally with an antivaxxer who holds self-proclaimed “MLK Style” sits in at restaurants resulting in lost wages for workers. pic.twitter.com/FRUWdciP79
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 22, 2022
Antivaxxer recording artist Jimmy Levy is currently performing in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the #DefeatTheMandates rally in DC.
Jimmy Levy recently recording a video of himself wearing a tin foil hat and also posted that he believes the earth is flat. pic.twitter.com/QIZhEGZiLV
— PatriotTakes ?? (@patriottakes) January 22, 2022
Musical entertainment at the anti-vax rally in DC. From @FordFischer pic.twitter.com/Q1Jpsd16bJ
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 23, 2022
Patrick Byrne & Joe Flynn are also at the anti-vax DC rally. pic.twitter.com/yPjDXbLKKC
— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) January 23, 2022