AN anti-vaccine protest at a pop-up vaccination clinic in the Colin area has been condemned.
The protest took place at the Colin Connect Transport Hub where it is alleged that protesters hurled abuse at healthcare staff and those receiving their vaccines. Protesters are also said to have filmed and photographed nursing staff and those coming forward to be vaccinated.
Annie Armstrong from the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership explained how the events unfolded.
“I went down on Sunday morning to make sure they were ok and to see if they needed anything and then about an hour later I got a call to say that anti-vaccine protesters had turned up,” she said.
“The staff rang the police because the protesters were abusing them and they felt intimidated. Some of them were very upset.
“By the time I arrived, the protesters were just standing on the footpath holding big yellow placards but the staff were really upset.
“They were then approaching people who had been vaccinated and the staff had to direct those who had been vaccinated out another door. It was then that the protesters started taking photographs and film footage of the staff which they found intimidating.
“I managed to calm them down a bit and assured them that they will be alright. I then contacted the neighbourhood policing team and asked them to come and keep an eye on them.
“It really annoyed me because these people are out doing their job. A lot of these nurses are working in hospitals and are under immense pressure and stress. They are giving up their days off to come into our community and administer the vaccines. It is so unfair that the staff have to put up with this and it appears there is nothing anyone can do to stop them.”
Annie added that she doesn’t understand how the protesters are being allowed to photograph or film people without their permission and said that she doesn’t believe this protest will stop the pop-up vaccine clinic from returning to the area.
“The good news over the weekend was the number of people who came forward to receive their first jabs. These are people who weren’t going to get vaccinated but changed their mind.
“These anti-vaccinators have protested at other places, they’ve protested at the Royal and it didn’t stop the vaccines being administered there.”
Local councillor, Danny Baker condemned the actions of those who were protesting.
“I got vaccinated to protect me, my family and my community,” he said.
“I was really concerned to hear that some of the protesters were intimidating some of the staff. These people are here to do a job or get vaccinated and are bringing a much-needed service into our community.
“These are people who may not have been able to make it down to the SSE for their first vaccine and it was important to bring the vaccinations into the community to make sure that we can vaccinate the most vulnerable and anyone who wants their vaccination.
“Everyone will have their own views on it but in my opinion the best way to protect our community is to get vaccinated and to continue to follow the health advice.
“It doesn’t matter what you are protesting about, you cannot go about intimidating anyone who is going about their job or who is coming forward for their vaccine.”
A spokesperson for the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust who are delivering the pop-up vaccine programme said that they are delighted with the response to the pop-up clinic in Colin.
“The South Eastern Trust Mobile Vaccination Pop Up service returned to the Stewartstown Road this weekend,” the spokesperson said.
“A total of 243 vaccines were administered, of which 174 were first doses. The Trust is delighted with the response and would like to thank the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership and Translink for supporting this initiative, as well as those who attended for their vaccine.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report of a protest at the Colin Connect Transport Hub on the Stewartstown Road in West Belfast on Sunday 3 October. Officers attended and monitored the protest but no offences were observed.”
