Chaotic protests erupt in Toronto after vaccine passport announcement
Protests erupted outside of Queen's Park yesterday afternoon, with hundreds gathering in opposition to Doug Ford's new vaccine passport announcement.
Their disdain for mainstream media was apparent from the get-go.
'Fake news!'
— Mark Slapinski (@MarkSlapinski) September 1, 2021
Anti-vaxxers chant against the mainstream media during a protest against Doug Ford in Toronto. #VaccinePassports #covid
🌐https://t.co/PhcuLm7RHR pic.twitter.com/jAOQjbvIyi
Crowds of angry anti-vaxxer and anti-mask groups then moved to a few other locations to loudly protest the move, further segregating these science-denying populations from everyday activities.
Saw a big antivax protest in downtown Toronto today. Right in front of the biggest hospitals. This is appallingly disrespectful to doctors, nurses, patients, and everyone else there. Imagine walking to work through this to care for covid patients... pic.twitter.com/5zieTcdNTc
— daniel aspidistra (@danisanerd) September 2, 2021
Perhaps the most troubling satellite protest occurred on hospital row, where exhausted healthcare workers had their long efforts trivialized instead of celebrated.
Antivax protest outside my hospital today - in case a global pandemic, demoralizing 4th wave, critical nursing shortage and record burnout levels amongst healthcare workers wasn't enough.
— Dr. Indy ਸਿੰਘ Sahota (@indysahota) September 1, 2021
Cool. pic.twitter.com/V8FEmpSQlJ
Signs with colourful language are typical of these protests, this one directed at the Prime Minister.
A pair of #antivaxxers proudly display a “Fuck Trudeau” flag.
— Caryma Sa'd - Cartoon Creator (@CarymaRules) September 1, 2021
This parade/rally took place during regular work hours on a weekday. There was strong turnout nonetheless.#onpoli #cdnpoli #Elxn44 pic.twitter.com/g0cQXAuo01
A disturbing pattern is emerging, with protesters once again seen making comparisons to Nazi racial laws as a means to justify their resistance to basic common sense.
This man routinely kneels on the street during #antivaxx protests and begs police to kill him.
— Caryma Sa'd - Cartoon Creator (@CarymaRules) September 1, 2021
Yet he is concerned that masks scare children?#onpoli #cdnpoli #Elxn44 pic.twitter.com/1KMaYPuHep
Concerns were raised about the obstruction of University Avenue, a vital thoroughfare for ambulances making trips to and from the many hospitals on this stretch. And once again, police are under fire for their handling of the situation.
I don’t mean to be hyperbolic, but it looks like @TorontoPolice have completely & utterly lost control of the situation.
— Caryma Sa'd - Cartoon Creator (@CarymaRules) September 1, 2021
The intersection at Gerrard & University is blocked by angry #antivaxxers. Hopefully no ambulances need to get through? #onpoli #cdnpoli #Elxn44 pic.twitter.com/a7RwXb1bvY
Police have yet to publicly share their thoughts on the vaccine passport announcement, though there are continued allegations on Twitter that a contingent of the force is anti-vax/mask/passport.
Spoke to a police officer today at the Nurses against Vaccine Mandates protest he's super excited to March tomorrow. Come out if you can #Toronto #VaccinePassports #VaccineMandate #BackTheBlue #JustSayNo pic.twitter.com/4QxQMBcSbs
— political orphan (@hardly_okay) September 1, 2021
Another alarming video from the hospital row protest shows an unmasked unvaccinated protester reaching through a car to honk a stranger's horn. Yikes. Hopefully, that car has a bottle of hand sanitizer in it.
An #antivaxxer reaches into a stranger’s car and honks their horn.
— Caryma Sa'd - Cartoon Creator (@CarymaRules) September 1, 2021
The audacity has reached unprecedented heights. #onpoli #cdnpoli #Elxn44 #ANTIVA pic.twitter.com/zDj8YlZEQo
Another protest broke out on Yonge Street, where crowds were spotted marching past Yonge-Dundas Square chanting "freedom," carrying signs and banners.
#BREAKING Moments after Premier Doug Ford announced a vaccine certificate system for Ontario, a couple thousand people began marching down Yonge Street in protest. @680NEWS @680NEWStraffic pic.twitter.com/bZ3uFr3awI
— Mark Douglas (@Douglas680NEWS) September 1, 2021
With another 20 days before the vaccine passport mandate takes effect, we could be in store for a turbulent few weeks of further protests.
Caryma Sa'd
