A GROUP of residents staged a gathering outside a Covid vaccination site hospital.
More than 20 people congregated outside Kings Park Community Hospital in Bournemouth on Tuesday, January 18, for around five hours in a bid to “engage in a discourse” with the police.
The group, who stated they were not ‘anti-vaxxers’, said they would push to have vaccine sites investigated and closed for alleged crimes associated with Covid-19 vaccines.
One member of the group told the Echo: “We’ve given the police a full advanced notice and we ask for their help and assistance so that this can be done completely legally.
Read more: Anti-vaccination campaigners enter Ringwood School in protest
“There’s various different people here from ex-military personnel to former police officers, health and social care specialists, lawyers and other local people.”
A Dorset Police inspector attended the scene in Gloucester Road, Boscombe. The inspector could be heard saying no police action would be taken in relation to the vaccine centre but that he would liaise with his superiors on how best to deal with the matter.
Group spokesperson Steve James said: “We’re tired of being labelled as anti anything. We’re not coming from an unlawful place or to commit any crimes, we’re not causing problems, we’re here to tell the truth.”
A Dorset Police spokesperson said: “[We were] made aware at 10.28am on Tuesday January 18, of a protest that took place at the Kings Park Community Hospital in Bournemouth.
“Officers attended to engage with those involved provide reassurance to staff and visitors to the venue.
“Dorset Police respects people’s right to protest and works to facilitate protestors rights to demonstrate peacefully, however we have a duty to ensure those involved act within the law, prevent any public disorder and ensure the local community can go about lawful activities.”
A spokesperson for the Dorset Covid-19 vaccination programme said: “A lawful protest has taken place outside our King’s Park Covid-19 vaccination site in Boscombe. Police have attended to provide reassurance and there has been no disruption to the service.
“The vaccination site is open from 8am-8pm each day, catering for both planned appointments and walk-ins, and we always have our own security presence on site.”
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