A group of activists are planning to stage a demonstration against vaccine mandates on the National Mall on Sunday, January 23 in the wake of the city’s proof of vaccination requirement for entering businesses taking effect.
The march titled “Defeat the Mandates: An American Homecoming” is expected to draw around 20,000 people.
Participants will be protesting COVID-19-related restrictions, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, mandatory vaccinations especially for children, and censorship and limits on debating the issue.
“We are free. And we will not surrender our freedoms out of fear. We are Americans and we come from every walk of life,” the group says on their website. “We link arms, vaccinated and unvaccinated, Democrats, Republicans, and independents… to stop the Covid vaccine mandates. To say never again to the lockdowns!”
They emphasize that they are not against individuals who are vaccinated and there are vaccinated people among them.
Among the sponsors of the event are Children’s Health Defense, Vaccine Safety Research Foundation, Global Covid Summit, Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, World Council for Health, and Awaken With JP Sears.
As of January 15, 2022, DC businesses and facilities such as restaurants, bars, and gyms cannot allow customers to enter without checking their proof of vaccination against COVID-19, as per Mayor Muriel Bowser‘s new order.
The establishments that are required to implement the rule include:
- Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, breweries, and food courts
- Indoor cultural and entertainment facilities such as sporting venues, movie theaters, bowling alleys
- Indoor exercise and recreational establishments like gyms, dance, yoga and pilates studios
- Indoor event and meeting establishments including hotel common rooms, banquet halls, and conference centers
Houses of worship, grocery stores, farmer’s markets, pharmacies, hospitals, medical offices, private meeting spaces in residences and office buildings are exempt from the new rule.