White moms in California are protesting against the state’s vaccine mandates — and comparing themselves to civil rights activists, according to a new report.
During a recent sit-in at the California State Capitol, a group of anti-vaxxer women sang “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement, Politico reported on Wednesday.
In a rally outside Gov. Gavin Newsom office, they walked up and down the corridors chanting: “No segregation, no discrimination, yes on education for all!” Many of them wore “Freedom Keepers” shirts.
The women were part of hundreds of anti-vaxxers who occupied the capitol in Sacramento this month in protest of legislation cracking down on medical exemptions for childhood immunizations.
They seemed to equate their plight — of vaccine requirements for public school kids — with that of the decades-long struggle to enforce the constitutional rights of African Americans, including by putting an end to race-based school segregation.
Legislators were appalled at the protesters co-option chants, slogans and themes of the movement to further their cause.
“This is misappropriation of a movement that really is not over and proves to be challenging to overcome,” Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove told Politico. “The whole conversation around vaccinations is actually one about privilege and opportunity. It’s a personal choice.”
“It’s a luxury to be able to have a conversation about medical exemptions and about whether or not you think your child should be vaccinated.”
The protests shut down both chambers of the state legislature and blocked entrances to the building, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Seven anti-vaxxers were arrested — including one woman who on Friday allegedly threw a cup of menstrual blood at state senators, hitting at least six.
“This incident was incited by the violent rhetoric perpetuated by leaders of the anti-vaxx movement,” said Sen. Richard Pan, who authored the two bills being protested.
The measures, ultimately signed by Newsom on Monday, are meant to reduce the number of dubious medical exemptions parents currently use to avoid vaccinating their children before enrolling them in public schools.
Christina Hildebrand, president of a the anti-vaccination group A Voice for Choice, condemned the woman who threw blood, but said she believed the protesters’ fight was similar to the black civil rights movement.
“To me, do I think it is comparable to MLK and the civil rights movement? I think we’re probably in the beginning stages of getting to something like that,” she told Politico.