Between 450 and 500 people attended a ‘call-out’ event Tuesday at Ashley Pond Park organized by a local group called Atomic Patriot and the New Mexico Freedom Alliance in response to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate declared by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Marcie May speaks to the crowd gathered at Ashley Pond Park Tuesday during lunchtime. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos County Councilor David Reagor and Mary Wilhoit chat at Tuesday event at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
A group shows posters from the sidewalk across from Ashley Pond on Diamond Drive. Dozens of drivers honked and waved at the groups on both sides of the street. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Some of the attendees at Ashley Pond during the earlier part of the two-hour event. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Some of the signs carried by attendees at the ‘call-out’ event at Ashley Pond Park Tuesday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Some of the anti-vaccination mandate signs Tuesday at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
People begin to gather shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday for the ‘call-out’ event at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
This identified sign-bearer stands at the intersection of 20th Street and Diamond Drive close to where dozens of people held up anti-vaccination mandate signs Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
An estimated 450-500 people gathered at Ashley Pond between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday in response to a Los Alamos National Laboratory mandate that all employees, onsite contractors and subcontractors receive COVID-19 vaccines before Oct. 15.
A group called New Mexico Freedoms Alliance dubbed the event a “call-out”, saying that is a demonstration of how many LANL workers could potentially leave the Lab if the vaccine mandate is not rescinded. The Los Alamos Reporter wandered through the crowd early in the event and observed that many in attendance were not Lab employees. Another group, locally based, called the Atomic Patriot, was also represented at the assembly.
See: https://losalamosreporter.com/2021/09/02/protest-of-vaccine-mandates-set-for-sept-7-at-ashley-pond/