Canberra, Feb 13 : Thousands of Australians have gathered in the nation’s capital to protest coronavirus vaccine mandates. Up to 10,000 people during the weekend took to the streets of Canberra to urge the federal, state and territory governments to immediately abolish all health orders making COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for workers. Protesters have gathered in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) since late January but police said there was a “significant influx” for Saturday’s rally, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Three people were arrested on Saturday and more than 100 breached barriers were erected at Parliament House but police said protesters were “generally well behaved.” The ACT police have warned protesters camping at Canberra’s Exhibition Park that they have until Sunday to leave the site or face arrest for trespassing. The Opposition Labor Party on Sunday urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take a stronger stance against the protesters after members of the government joined the rallies. On Saturday, Morrison told reporters that the protesters were “speaking up for the things they feel strongly about.”
