Gympie ‘freedom rally’ creates social media storm

Gympie’s ‘rally for freedom’ may have been peaceful but the reaction on Facebook was anything but, with many people from each side firing hyperbolic insults at each other instead of debating whether the protest was justified or counter-productive.

Gympie’s so-called ‘rally for freedom’ on Saturday may have been peaceful, but the social media debate around it since then has been anything but.

More than 1000 people gathered at Lake Alford for the freedom rally against lockdowns, masks and the Covid-19 vaccines.

Police said there were no incidents at the Gympie rally. On social media, more than 300 comments were left on the story within 48 hours.

Resident and outspoken social media critic, Dave Freeman, took a machine gun approach, saying such a protest being held despite there being no lockdown in the region “proves that Gympie has a higher moron to population ratio than Melbourne or Sydney”.

About 1000 people gathered to “rally for freed”, with many denouncing vaccines and masks too.

“Pointless people making up pointless points, to pointlessly protest about,” Mr Freeman said.

“But I guess if their silly echo-chamber makes them feel good about each other as long as the virus doesn’t get here there’s no real harm done.”

Greg Gordon offered a harsher assessment: “Bunch of irresponsible selfish w------”.

Andrew Summerfield said the rally stopped him from having a family outing.

The protests were part of an Australia-wide rally with some, like Sydney’s event, being marred by violence. Gympie’s rally was peaceful. (Photo by Don Arnold/Getty Images)

“The fact we don‘t even have restrictions seems pointless for them to make a scene,” Mr Summerfield said.

“I refused to take my daughter to the Duckponds for that very reason.”

He questioned whether the rallies were counter-productive, too.

“If everyone had just followed the rules we wouldn‘t have to do any of this,” he said.

“Those ‘freedom rallies’ have taken their freedom away a little longer.

“I trust the advice from virus experts.

“Not some social media cult.”

Some social media commenters said they took no issue with the rally itself, but that people refused to social distance given ongoing concerns about the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Not everyone took a scorched earth approach, though.

Trace Peterson questioned what freedoms were really being squashed.

“In regard to the pandemic masks are only mandated in restricted areas. Only certain health care workers including residential aged staff have a mandatory vaccine order. Not sure what freedom people feel is being infringed on,” Mrs Peterson said.

“But each to their own.”

However Cherie Haack argued the issues extended well beyond Gympie’s borders.

“Stop the coercive strategies, censorship of other views, and the baseless, small business-destroying lockdowns,” she said.

Social media commentators said the rally was not about Gympie, which is not in lockdown, but against the lockdowns in place across the country in cities like Melbourne. (Photo by Diego Fedele/Getty Images)

“Focus on protecting the vulnerable, and allow people to be responsible for their own health.”

Stephen Jerman said a lack of transparency was contributing to the social storm that led to the protests.

“If government told truth and released medical advice, maybe all would be good,” he said.

Kim Chambers called out a perceived double standard saying “no-one seemed to care when the second State of Origin was held Sunday 27th June and then the following day 28th June lockdown happens which was planned and everyone knew but the game still went ahead”.

“Seems hypocritical that anyone would judge these people for doing a peaceful rally.”

Kaylay Smith-Crossley had the response which might have laid out the problem in a nutshell.

“I‘m all for a rally, however they could have at least social distanced,” she said.