New Yorkers stage protest against vaccine mandate

Dozens of Americans have staged an anti-vaccine protest in New York City, storming into a food court, where only inoculated individuals are allowed in.

Videos showed the protesters chanted slogans against U.S. President Joe Biden and directed their anger at him although New York Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced the policy requiring citizens to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to participate in indoor activities.

Chanting “My body, my choice,” and reciting the pledge of allegiance, the protesters swarmed the food court without any resistance from either security or staff despite a sign at the entrance warning diners that they must be vaccinated to enter the court.  At least one protester wore a ‘Trump won’ shirt, while another donned a QAnon-themed t-shirt.

The QAnon conspiracy theory is centered on the belief that is battling a “deep state” ring of child-sex traffickers.  It has already motivated some domestic extremists to commit violent acts or to threaten violence, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Trump has retweeted QAnon-promoting accounts and its followers flock to his rallies wearing clothes and hats with QAnon symbols and slogans.

New York has become the first major city in the U.S. to introduce a policy requiring individuals to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to participate in indoor activities. Mayor de Blasio said the measure will keep New York "safe."

The restrictions have drawn sharp criticism from conservatives, but also from workers’ unions, arguing that the rules are discriminatory.   A federal appeals court on Saturday blocked a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for New York city school employees, pending a judicial decision on its legality.

At least 43,393,000 Americans have contracted COVID-19 and more than 700,000 died of the virus in the United States as of Monday.