People at the ’Worldwide Rally for Freedom’protest are saying no to compulsory vaccinations. Picture: Supplied
Approximately 500 people gathered outside Sea Point Pavilion Swimming Pool on Saturday to protest against compulsory vaccinations.
It was the third and biggest anti-vaxx protest to take place in Cape Town this year.
The protest formed part of the ‘Worldwide Rally for Freedom’ where similar protests took place in different locations around the world.
This is the biggest crowd that has shown up thus far at the worldwide rally for freedom protest | @WeekendArgus pic.twitter.com/8mHA7O6wNq
— Keshia Africa (@africaquiche) September 18, 2021
After meeting, crowds marched along the Promenade with placards shouting, “We say no,” and, “We want natural immunity,” repetitively.
There was no clear order on the day, and various people addressed the crowd whenever they wanted to.
A young girl appearing to be about ten years old grabbed the mic while being cheered on by onlookers. She addressed the crowd saying:
“We have rights, we don’t need to be forced to take this, we can say yes or no.”
A girl appearing to be about 10 years old is shouting for freedom. | @WeekendArgus pic.twitter.com/VTbK3EM58u
— Keshia Africa (@africaquiche) September 18, 2021
The crowds continued chanting, “What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!”
A man known as Pastor John addressed the crowds and read out a message from heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo, who came under fire earlier this month for anti-vaccine comments.
“To everyone at the rally today, I join you in the spirit. Thank you for standing in the interest of transparency, freedom of choice and accountability,” he read.
“Each individual in society deserves the ability to freely make important personal choices.”
Pastor John announced that on October 15, they will be staging a march bigger than what Cape Town has ever seen.
“We will shut down all the vaccination centres,” he said as crowds cheered him on.
“We will gather 250 000 people, Amandla!”
Debbie Els from People versus State said they filed the case, and on Tuesday, they will be in court against Sasol and its manditory vaccine policy.
“We have filed court papers against Sasol. We have filed an urgent interdict because they have forced their employees to get the jab,” she said.
Leader of the Cape Independence Party, Jack Miller, also addressed the crowd saying lockdown should end immediately.
“We have to appeal this lockdown. If we stand together, we can put an end to it tomorrow,” he said.
Miller said he was attending the protest to stand for human rights.
“What we’ve seen in the last year and a half has been a complete trampling of human rights,” he said.
Advocate Sibelo Sibanda, who was in attendance at the first ‘Worldwide Rally for Freedom’ protest in May, also addressed the crowd. Sibanda said there is no law saying that people must be vaccinated.
“We are caught in a situation where people are expected to subject themselves to experimentation. This is not a vaccine, it is an experimental medication,” he said.
He added: “My major appeal to all of us is that if you are not prepared to stand up for yourself, at least stand up for the children.”
Adv Sibelo Sibanda is speaking about consent and reminding the crowd that there is no law saying that vaccination is compulsory. | @WeekendArgus pic.twitter.com/I7Hbn184jv
— Keshia Africa (@africaquiche) September 18, 2021