Thousands of people gathered in Newcastle yesterday protesting vaccine mandates and what they’re calling the “new world order”.
Local police say the almost 7000 people were well behaved and had spoken to them prior to the protest to ensure it could go ahead.
Those protesting said they were doing it to show their concern over vaccine mandates, particularly in the workplace, free choice and COVID-19 vaccines especially for children.
By and large the protesters at Foreshore Park said they were there for their children.
“I’m just against the mandates. I’ve lost my job, I haven’t been able to play music. I’m a musician so I haven’t been able to play clubs and bars, haven’t been able to do disability care work so I’m here for my son, I don’t want him to be vaccinated when he turns five. I’m pro-choice.”
“We just came to support the fact that everyone should have their own free choice, and our children should have that choice with their parents guidance as well. I think every child and every parent should have the choice as to what medical treatments they give their children. My children have had all the other vaccines but I’m not interested in giving them one with really bad side effects that hasn’t been tested for 10, 20 years.”
“Five years old us way too young and that’s just not what should be happening in our society.”
“We’ve got four kids and we can’t even walk into the school to collect our children if you’re not vaccinated. If you’re not vaccinated at the moment kids can’t play soccer, you cant go on holidays, you literally can’t go anywhere unless you show your papers and we’re not Nazi Germany, we’re Australia. We have four kids and we’re prepared to peacefully protest so our children have the rights to the freedoms we grew up with.”
There were similar protests in Sydney and Melbourne yesterday as well.
It comes just days out from restrictions easing in NSW again. From Wednesday, December 15, unvaccinated people in NSW will be allowed to enter pubs and cafes and other hospitality venues and shops.