Cops halt anti-jab protest

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
POLICE intervened to stop a group of people from marching to Parliament yesterday in protest over the enforcement by some employers of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination and the ‘no jab, no job’ policy.
Despite the assurances by National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning that the Covid-19 vaccination was not compulsory, the group still organised the march yesterday morning.
National Capital District police led by Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr blocked their march at Woodcock Road, Dunlin Crescent, Plover Street, and Snipe Street.
The people were told to go instead to Unagi Oval in the opposite direction.
ACP Wagambie told the group that while their cries had been heard, he would not allow them to go to Parliament as the march was illegal.
He told them that the police were there “not to suppress their rights”.
“Our concern is public safety and order,” he said.
“The people listened and took it well, with the organisers deciding not to go to Parliament but to withdraw to Unagi.”
The protestors gathered at Unagi for 30 minutes then left.
There was no social distancing nor wearing of face masks.
Manning said many people were still relying on misinformation.
“While we continue to express that vaccinations was voluntary, there are people out there spewing fake information and using social media to spread lies and fear,” he said.
“We have continued to maintain that vaccination is voluntary and will remain so. No one is being forced to be vaccinated.”
The protestors carrying placards wanted the Government to stop the vaccination programmes around the country.
Manning, also the police commissioner, said it was clear that misinformation about the Covid-19 outweighed genuine information available to the average citizen.
ACP Wagambie said police were ready to block the march sending various units to guard different parts of the city so no opportunists took advantage of the situation.