Pete Evans gives bizarre speech at Sydney vaccine protest
A shoeless Evans made a rare public appearance, giving a bizarre speech about his political aspirations at a Sydney vaccine protest today.
Former reality star turned conspiracist Pete Evans has made a bizarre speech about his political aspirations at an anti-vaxxer rally in Sydney.
The former star of My Kitchen Rules addressed hundreds of protesters at the Millions March Against Mandatory Covid Vaccination rally in Hyde Park today.
“I don’t have the answers. No one is coming to save you except you,” Evans told the screaming crowd.
“Each and every one of you has to stand up in whatever capacity you can.”
He said he had always suspected an election campaign was in his future.
“I begged people I thought could change the future of Australia. I f**king begged,” he said.
“But in the back of my mind there was this little guy going, ‘you know you’re gonna have to do this’.”
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“I will speak the truth. Well it’s my truth. Everybody has their own truth,” he said.
“Some people are activists, some people hold space through meditation. Some people enter into parliament — which is the last thing I would ever consider, but I’ve been invited to step in as the Federal senator for the NSW seat.
Evans said he would do his “best” to represent the people in the crowd to the best of his capacity.
Hundreds turned out for the anti-vaxxer rally, holding signs urging people to “just say no”.
“F*ck Bill Gates!” the group chanted as they marched from Hyde Park through the city.
“We hope that Bill Gates liar goes to jail,” another group of men sang.
“My body my choice,” protesters broke out chanting intermittently as they marched.
A bystander in Pitt St Mall told news.com.au he felt the protesters “had a point”.
“This is the whole point of democracy.”
Another woman was less impressed with the rally.
“It’s rubbish,” she said.
Another bystander, Ziggy, told news.com.au he felt the protesters were “just selfish”.
“This is a society,” he said, adding the point of vaccines were to “help everybody”.
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Almost all the marchers clutched signs with slogans on them.
“The so-called vaccine is a permanent DNA modification,” one woman’s sign read.
Multiple families had brought on their children who held signs with anti science slogans.
“Let me learn to think for myself,” read a sign held by one young boy, who looked bored, and sunburned.
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A speaker opening the rally mocked the COVID marshal on site.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard but there’s an oogie boogie virus going around.”
He then urged people to visit the COVID Marshall if they’d “escaped ICU” and were feeling unwell.
International rugby player Frankie Winterstein and his wife Taylor Winterstein talked to the crowd.
Taylor told mothers they’re “on the front line” in the fight against vaccines.
Vaccinating against COVID-19 is the easiest way for Australians to get their normal lives back, but millions are hesitant to get the jab.
News.com.au’s Our Best Shot campaign answers your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
We’ll debunk myths about vaccines, answer your concerns about the jab and tell you when you can get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Evans, who has been booted from Instagram, Facebook and Spotify after spreading misinformation about COVID-19, has become notorious for sharing conspiracies online. But he is not well known for speaking in public.
But more than 5700 people have joined a Facebook group vowing to march against “mandatory” coronavirus vaccines in multiple Aussie cities today. “Join us in the fight against medical coercion,” the group’s slogan reads.
“Pete Evans will be joining us tomorrow in Sydney! Come down and say hi to Pete and all of the other amazing speakers. MMAMCV 2021,” a post from one of the march organisers reads.
More than 600 reacted to the post, and dozens commented, sending well wishes to Evans, and saying they’d be at the rally.
“I’m flying to Sydney for the march, lol,” one woman wrote with a love heart emoji.
“Were right with you Pete … thankyou … I hope millions turn up,” another wrote.
RELATED: Pete Evans banned from Instagram
RELATED: Pete Evans announces he will run for the Senate
Evans last year lost a series of business deals after he posted a neo-Nazi cartoon on Instagram. He was dumped from appearing on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here, and his longtime publishing partner Pan Macmillan Australia also severed ties with him, as did Coles, Woolworths and a string of other business partners. It’s believed the scandal cost Evans up to $1 million in brand endorsements alone.
Earlier this month, Evans shared a petition demanding no restrictions be placed on individuals who refused to take a coronavirus vaccine.
The petition has been submitted to the House of Representatives, calling on the government to confirm there will be “no restrictions placed on citizens or residents who refuse a COVID-19 vaccination”.
“This includes restrictions on travel, right to re-enter the country, social events such as concerts or sports, and access to shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, etc.”
Evans also announced he intends to run for a Senate seat with the Great Australia Party. The party is associated with Rod Culleton, who was elected as a member of One Nation, but later resigned from the party and became an independent.
“Pete Evans has maintained his principles and inspired others in the face of uncommon adversity,” Mr Culleton said shortly after Evans announced his intention to run.
Evans routinely interviews anti-vaxxers on his podcast, and has shared numerous vaccine conspiracies on social media, including suggesting vaccinated children are less intelligent than those who aren’t given jabs.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout is scheduled to begin on Monday.
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