'Worldwide' Anti-Vaccine Mandate Rally Expected To Draw Crowds

VENICE, CA — Police will be out in force this weekend ahead of a rally planned at Santa Monica's famous pier by people objecting to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Billed as a "worldwide rally for freedom" and a "rally against medical tyranny," the midday Sunday event will be held a week after hundreds of people gathered at Santa Monica's Tongva Park for a similar protest. There were no reports of violence during that gathering — a sharp contract to a protest in downtown Los Angeles a week earlier that was marred by fistfights and a stabbing.

In a video message posted on Facebook this week, Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said the department anticipates that "opposition groups will very likely be in attendance" at Sunday's event at the foot of the Santa Monica Pier.

"As a Santa Monica community member, business owner or visitor, you should know that the city of Santa Monica, and by extension, its police department, values the ability of the public to engage in peacefully expressive conduct as guaranteed by the United States Constitution," Seabrooks said. "On the other hand, we do take issue with those who come to our community specifically to intimidate — through violence or other criminal behavior — those who seek to peacefully exercise their Constitutional rights.

"Given the nature of this upcoming event, and in an abundance of caution, this weekend, you will see an increased uniformed police presence throughout the city and in particular, the downtown area," she said. "We are working with our municipal partners and other regional partners to ensure the police department is able to facilitate peaceful First Amendment activity even as we work to ensure a safe environment for our residents, business owners, and visitors."

In an effort to prevent violent outbreaks, the Santa Monica City Council adopted an emergency ordinance this week barring people from bringing certain types of items to public protests, assemblies or community events. The list of banned items includes plastic pipes, baseball bats, aerosol sprays, weapons, glass bottles, chains longer than 20 inches, metal containers, shields, gas masks, helmets, body armor, bricks and rocks.

This isn't the first time anti-mask or anti-vax protesters have come to Santa Monica. A group of anti-mask protesters stood outside Santa Monica schools in May, harassing students and parents. A group of students then staged a counter-protest. Following the protest activities outside the schools, the anti-mask protesters then moved on to Supervisor Sheila Kuehl's home in Santa Monica, where Kuehl told them they had crossed a line after making bizarre comparisons to the HIV-AIDS crisis.

Lawmakers could determine new rules in California

It's all happening as state officials aim to improve vaccination rates as coronavirus cases surge. They could decide on making a big change for California residents.

State officials this week are grappling with whether to mandate vaccination proof for people entering indoor businesses and requiring workers to be vaccinated or regularly tested to help lessen the spread of the delta variant, the Los Angeles Times reports.

See the video from the Santa Monica Police Department:

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.

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