Protesters against the ongoing state government-mandated lockdown march down State Street in downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday.
Another crowd of protestors took to the streets of downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday, demanding to end the lockdown and recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It was the second in a series of protests planned by WeHaveRights.org, and just like last Saturday, several dozens of protestors marched from State and Gutierrez streets up to the 1100 block of State Street and back.
They were chanting and holding signs reading things like, “The pandemic is over,” “Practice media distancing,” “Mask = false sense of security,” “I love oxygen,” and “Destroying small businesses is not the solution.”
Dr. Hesu Whitten, a local chiropractor, led the protest, and addressed the crowd before they marched.
“This is our last effort before the holidays,” he said. “We’ve got the science on our side. People are sick and tired of this. We know the masks don’t work; we know this virus doesn’t affect kids — they should be back in school. There’s no science that says people eating outdoors are a risk to anyone.
“This vaccine is an experiment, and people who take this are medical experiments and we should never be required to participate in a medical experiment for anything. It’s our body and our choice.”
Some of the protestors wore masks, but others did not.
“I’m sick of you telling me to suffocate myself. I know the science,” Dr. Whitten said. “We’re showing the world that we’re not afraid to breathe the air. Can you believe that’s a radical statement?”
A petition to recall Gov. Newsom was passed around at the conclusion of the rally.
“They’re violating our freedom and private property rights,” Caroline Abate, a previous Goleta School Board candidate that did not win the election, told the News-Press. “Lockdown decisions are arbitrary, not based on data and are ineffective.”
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
