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Around 800 people formed a human chain to protest vaccination mandates at Mangawhai Heads this month.
The chain was about 600 metres long, spanning the entire length of Picnic Bay and around the shore to the Heads.
Mangawhai’s Terry Bishara, who helped coordinate the demonstration on the day, said she was pleased by the turnout.
She said the intention of the demonstration was to oppose vaccine mandates and the “division in society” caused by vaccine passports.
“We’re not anti-vax. We just want people to be able to make a personal choice without coercion,” she said.
A participant said he knew of several people who were vaccinated and joined the protest to show their support for a united community.
He said the demonstration was not organised by any single individual, but evolved organically.
“A group of us were sitting on the beach and thought of the idea to form a human chain to express solidarity,” he said. “The idea was floated on Facebook and it grew from there.”
