A backlash against tightening COVID-19 rules nationwide amid a recent resurgence in cases will culminate in a protest in D.C. this weekend.
Sunday’s demonstration, organized by Defeat the Mandates, will begin 11:30 a.m. with a march on the National Mall from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, where a rally featuring speakers such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Angela Stanton-King and former Washington Wizard Kwame Brown will be held, according to the group’s website.
Partners and sponsors for the protest include Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, Children’s Health Defense, the International Alliance of Physicians & Medical Scientists and Awaken With JP Sears — all of which have been cited by public health officials and social media networks for spreading disinformation during the pandemic, WTOP reported.
As of Monday, the United States has reported more than 65 million coronavirus cases and 847,000 related deaths since the outset of the pandemic in early 2020 — both tops globally — but only 63% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated despite widespread availability of vaccines over the past year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.