Fraser Coast protest: How ‘freedom’ rally against pandemic procedures went down

“The loss of freedom has been very gradual”.

Ann Sale and Dane Pritchard attended the rally over the weekend, with Ann speaking to other protesters, believing she knows a better way officials should have handled the pandemic. Picture: Isabella Magee

The humid weather failed to stop protesters, as they turned up to rally at a local park over the weekend.

At Pialba's Freedom Park from 12pm to about 3pm on Saturday, protesters rallied "for freedom" as part of a global movement, followed by a social media hashtag #wewillALLbethere.

A Martin Luther King Junior quote sat at the front tent, where protesters spoke on their views. Picture: Isabella Magee

The event, protesting mostly against measures put in place by officials throughout the course of the pandemic, was posted across social media and the Fraser Coast event was live-streamed.

People filmed the event for social media. Picture: Isabella Magee

About 100 locals showed up to the park, some with their dogs, wearing hats and bringing camping chairs.

Initially set to be a walk, protestors instead set up to stay in the shade on the grass.

Many seniors were among them, agreeing in disbelief of COVID-19's existence.

A protester holding a sign indicating his beliefs. Picture: Isabella Magee

Former Maryborough state election candidate Samantha Packer of the Informed Medical Options party was a main organiser of the event, hyping up the crowd with her speech.

"The loss of freedom has been very gradual, nearly inconspicuous, a slow desensitisation to the control and the handing over of personal responsibilities to a corrupt government," she said speaking to the crowd.

Samantha Packer beleives the government is “corrupt”. Picture: Isabella Magee

"One seemingly harmless rule at a time ... We have lockdowns, mask mandates, social distancing, forced medical procedures and a new normal over a virus so deadly, we don't even know we have it.

"We're looking at segregating people from society, because they would like the option of not becoming a lab rat."

Ann Sale disapproves of measures governments have taken during an unprecedented pandemic, believing she knows how it could've been handled better. Picture: Isabella Magee

Ann Sale brought slogans sketched on cardboard to the rally, and said she was there for the "response to COVID".

"I'm (at the rally) because I do believe in freedom ... everything that's going on around the world in relation to COVID, our response to COVID, I just believe very, very firmly that a lot of the responses by governments in the world have been very extreme and excessive," Ms Sale told The Chronicle.

People attending the 'freedom' rally. Picture: Isabella Magee

"Never before in the history of the human race, have healthy, active working people been locked down to protect elderly and vulnerable people, and I'm an elderly person, but never before has that ever, ever, ever (sic) happened."

Ms Sale said, instead, the governments should have locked the vulnerable away and left everyone else to go on as normal.

A speaker, originally from Germany, said "we must have Devil's advocates" in regards to her presence at the rally. Picture: Isabella Magee

"You protect (the vulnerable), you isolate them, you don't isolate 100 per cent of people in the community, you don't shut their businesses, you don't stop them seeing their friends," she said.

"(The government has) taken away our freedom of choice, along with our freedom of movement, or freedom to work, or freedom to earn a living."

Glenn 'of the House of Andreasen'. Picture: Isabella Magee

Glenn, who prefers his last name be referred to as 'of the House of Andreasen' due to it being a "corporate entity to have a traditional last name," was another who was at the park in protest.

He said he was there "for (his future) children".

The quote was tied to the front tent, and across some protester’s shirts. Picture: Isabella Magee

"If we don't stand up against the collective our kids' futures are going to be pretty bleak," Glenn said.

When The Chronicle asked to expand on his protesting, he claimed "the elite are pushing a new agenda," being "the bankers" and "Bill Gates".

"They're using the model of China, which is communism."

In the interest of balance, both the federal and state health departments were contacted for comment and given the opportunity to address the claims made at the protest along with a general reponse on why protective measures and restrictions had been put in place but no response was receieved.

Henry the cocker spaniel, 1, didn't know why he was attending the event, however, was just happy to be involved. Picture: Isabella Magee

Originally published as Fraser Coast protest: How ‘freedom’ rally against pandemic procedures went down