Protesters rally against mandatory vaccines at Eastern Gardens
Protesters have rallied against mandatory Covid vaccinations in Geelong by gathering for a picnic at Eastern Gardens on Sunday.
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Peaceful picnics were held Eastern Gardens on Sunday with attendees protesting against mandatory vaccinations.
Crowds of all ages attended the event with many sharing stories of being forced out of work and losing friends and family over the controversial vaccine mandate.
The peaceful picnic event comes as the Victorian government announced on Friday all employees on the Authorised Worker list will be required to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by October 15 in order to continue working onsite.
Among those impacted is Tonia Bisinella, who worries for her family after finding out their jobs will be terminated later this month.
“I have lost my job, my husband has lost his job, my son has lost his job and my other son is going to lose his too,” she said.
“How is that fair, everyone now loses their jobs because the government is telling you what you have to put in your body.
“My husband has worked with his employer for 42 years and I have been in the banking industry since I was 17 years old.”
Ms Bisinella said her family is currently working across the banking, construction and disability support industries.
“We have a choice of what we put into our body, we are not anti-vaxxers, all my family have been vaccinated, we just don’t want this vaccine at the moment.”
“We feel it is an experimental one. That is why we are here.”
Invitations were spread through word-of-mouth with the common theme, “freedom of health choices.”
Among the rules included “no violence, no arguments, no law-breaking and no alcohol.”
The invitation said, “if and when police arrive, thank them for protecting you and doing their job.”
“Congratulate them on doing a good job. Remembering they are humans with families.”
Police attended the scene but no incidents were reported.
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