Protesters gathered outside Capitol Building in Washington against Vaccine Mandate

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Thousands of people gathered outside of Washington state’s Capitol Building to protest the state’s vaccine mandate. They were heard belting out the national anthem at one point. The former employee of the State Department of Transportation, Kelly Coyle said, “We’re adults and we know how to take care of ourselves. I don’t believe you should force someone to inject something in their body that they don’t want and lose your livelihood”. Coyle added that she was forced into early retirement over Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate for state workers. At least 3 thousand attended what was dubbed the “No, you move” Rally Against the Mandate, on Sunday to protest Inslee’s vaccine mandate for the roughly 63,000 state workers in Washington.

State workers are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. Video footage from the rally has also shown the protesters breaking out into the national anthem, while holding American flags and signs reading, “Stand for health freedom,” and “No forced vaccination.” Coyle also explained that she was granted a religious exemption from the mandate, but her employer informed her that the office could not accommodate her because she posed a risk to others. She then decided to retire. Coyle informed The Olympian news outlet and said, “I feel for those people who are losing their jobs”. Thurston County resident Dena Eagan also attended the rally with Coyle, she said, “I’m here to stand with all these other people. It’s our bodies, our choice”.

Another participant of the rally, Cowlitz County resident, Theresa Pringle said, “I don’t even get the flu shot. That’s where choice comes in. I’m a very healthy retiree who can choose. Some people who are not as healthy also can choose”. It is noteworthy that rallies against vaccine mandates have been cropping up across the country in recent weeks. Health care workers have protested outside hospitals holding signs such as, “Last Year’s Heroes, This Year’s Unemployed.” A massive rally in New York City also took place last month when former and current teachers marched against the vaccine mandate and were heard chanting, “F— Joe Biden”.