A State House rally against Gov. Charlie Baker’s “forced” vaccine and mask mandates doubled as a campaign rally for Republican candidate for governor Geoff Diehl, who took shots at Baker over everything from mail-in voting to free choice.
“Let me ask you this: Are you guys against vaccine mandates and mask mandates?” Diehl said to an energized crowd that shouted “Yes” in return as they gathered in front along Beacon Street on Sunday afternoon. “Then you know what you got to do. You’ve to vote out the governor. You’ve got to vote out the lieutenant governor and you’ve go to take this into your own hands.”
One attendee shouted out “Tyranny,” as Diehl rallied the crowd.
Participants at the the Boston Broadside Freedom Rally touted signs scrawled with slogans like “Our body, our choice,” “Unmask Massachusetts” and “Biden stole the election.”
Diehl, a vocal critic of Baker’s vaccine mandate for state workers in the state’s executive branch and of required mask-wearing in schools, said in a statement that the event was “about the freedom to choose for ourselves, the best path for our health, including whether to wear masks, have our children wear masks, and get vaccinated.”
Baker has not yet revealed his re-election plans, but Diehl has been on the attack since Baker backpedaled and imposed vaccine mandates for 42,000 state workers and mandated masks in schools last month.
Baker, who is also a Republican, has repeatedly said his decisions around coronavirus restrictions and mandates “follow the science” and are based on advice from myriad public health experts.
Diehl cited concerns among girls and young women who “are afraid that they’re seeing fertility issues with these vaccinations,” during a speech that also contained misrepresentations about the state’s existing coronavirus restrictions.
There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But health officials admit “data are limited” on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women.
Diehl also attacked the Legislature over the House’s decision last week to require members to be vaccinated in order to enter the building upon reopening, claiming unvaccinated members would be barred from voting.
The House’s new COVID-19 order, which was approved by an overwhelming majority would allow unvaccinated members to participate in roll calls, votes and hearings.
Diehl, a pro-Trump conservative, also discussed his desire to grow the conservative base in Massachusetts, where Democrats have long held supermajorities.
