The viral “f*** Joe Biden” chants at southern college football games have now spread to an unlikely place: New York City.
That’s how unpopular the vaccine mandates are to some.
The protest, organized by Teachers for Choice, brought thousands of current and retired educators, parents, staff, and others out to Foley Square on Monday to denounce the vaccine mandate as a condition of employment. They then marched across the Brooklyn Bridge.
While Pix11 notes that "a primary target” of the protesters’ ire was NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, there appeared to be just as much outrage against President Biden, who pushed states last week to mandate the vaccine for teachers, as well as announced vaccine mandates for federal employees and contractors, health care workers, and employees of private companies with 100 or more workers.
#happeningnow on the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC , protesters against the mandatory shot chant " F@CK JOE BIDEN " #JoeBiden #VaccinePassports #NYC pic.twitter.com/MgVRSfUl8D
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 13, 2021
More from today's protest against the mandatory shot In NYC
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 14, 2021
Massive crowd of protesters cross over the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC!
" MY BODY MY CHOICE THE VAX YOU WONT FORCE "#VaccinePassports #COVID19 #NYC pic.twitter.com/6S50WMqfJy
Protesters against the mandatory shot take over the Brooklyn pier and chant " F$CK JOE BIDEN " #NYC #JoeBiden #VaccinePassports pic.twitter.com/Dsuo94JLkK
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 14, 2021
1000s take to the streets of Brooklyn NY at a protest against the mandatory shot. #VaccinePassports #nyc #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/muVIVcYY9I
— Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) September 13, 2021
They were loud, they were vocal. Those who didn’t speak held signs that said things like “My body, my choice” and “I am not property of the state.”
Bill and Amy Carroll are retired teachers.
“I have lived and worked in this city as a civil servant for 28 years of my life,” said Amy. “I should be able to make my own health decisions and make a decision that doesn’t affect my employment that doesn’t affect my right to go to a restaurant, or a Broadway play, a museum.”
Her husband Bill, echoed her sentiments.
“I think what they’re doing in America, they’re taking away our rights about all decisions, medical decisions, we’re standing here we’re letting the government take over everything.”
Wade Willett, a recently retired science teacher, said he neither trusts the vaccines nor government officials.
“I submitted my retirement on August 8 because of de Blasio,” said Willett. “I had COVID in March of 2020 and I recovered from it, so I felt I’m immune, I’m a science teacher and they said you’re not.”
A primary target of their anger has been Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Last month, the mayor announced all Department of Education employees must receive at least one dose of a COVID vaccine by Sept 27. This applies to all 148,000 DOE staffers in city school buildings.
Some teachers tried to make the point Monday getting vaccinated is a personal choice and they shouldn’t be forced into it.
“I came with a bunch of teachers from a school in Whitestone, Queens,” said educator Alycia Morell. “We’re here because of the mandates, some of us are even vaccinated, but we’re fighting the mandate and we don’t want the children to have to be mandated for vaccines — so we’re fighting for everybody not just ourselves.” (Pix11)
Teachers for Choice plan to file a lawsuit against the city over the vaccine mandate this week.
