Protesters in Toronto, Canada roamed the Fairview Mall on Wednesday as part of an anti-vaccination demonstration. The group dressed uniformly in white coveralls and expressionless white masks, walking with a zombie-like stride. They apparently meant to express their fear that the public was being thoughtless by accepting the COVID-19 vaccine.
At least 13 white-clad people took part in Wednesday’s protest in Toronto, judging by videos posted on local social media groups. Others seemed to be involved in the demonstration without wearing the suits, as they orbited around the group taking photos. While the protesters made their eerie procession through the mall, they were accompanied by a deep, distorted voice playing through a loudspeaker.
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“Thinking for yourself endangers the common good,” the voice said. “Body contact causes suffering.” Some bystanders looked confused by the demonstration, which the participants must have expected, as the recording occasionally said: “This is a protest” to clarify.
Other catchphrases the recorded voice threw out included: “Everyone loves the pharmaceutical companies,” “Questioning the vaccine is murder,” “Facial expression is excessive” and “Solitary confinement is safe.” It added: “Questioning masks is murder,” and “Big business is essential. The government is essential.”
The protesters were ultimately asked to leave and escorted out of the mall by security guards. The whole demonstration ended publicly with a group hug, according to a report by Toronto’s BlogTO. Still, the theatrical presentation posed a risk of spreading the coronavirus on its own.
Commenters online seemed no more impressed by the demonstration than those in the mall on Wednesday. On the Facebook group “Weird Toronto,” one person commented: “This is the biggest cringe parade of the year!” Another wrote: “They look more reminiscent of performance artists like Blue Man Group or Jabborwockee. If I saw them while shopping I wouldn’t immediately think ‘protest’ when I looked at these people. They look more like drama geeks trying to safely perform during a pandemic.”
This protest joins a string of similar demonstrations all over the world as people chafe against the changes to their lives imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the sentiment is controversial for its aversion to scientific data and its penchant for conspiracy theories.
Social distancing and wearing face masks in public remain the highest recommendations of public health experts around the world as the coronavirus pandemic worsens. Scientific organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer comprehensive explanations of how the vaccines work and how their safety has been tested for readers at every level of medical literacy.
