The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Mayor Sam Liccardo’s proposal for a vaccine requirement for attendees and staff for events of 50 or more people at city-owned facilities.
This after anti-mask activists protested at the San Jose City Council chambers ahead of the vote.
Dozens of anti-maskers, who predictably did not wear masks in the city chambers, reportedly forced the City Council to take a recess as they tried to get unmasked attendees out.
Pictures posted on different social media platforms show attendees holding signs that read "my body, my choice," or "What next? Mandating Proof of Vaxx to vote?"
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Some people started to boo when Mayor Sam Liccardo told them they needed to put on masks or get escorted out.
Many of the people came to speak out against vaccine mandates and the mayor's proposal to require people to show proof of vaccination when attending events with 50 or more people at city owned venues such as SAP Center and the San Jose Performing Arts Center.
"I think it’s unconstitutional to discriminate against people who choose not to get the vaccine for whatever reason including medical or religious or personal," said San Jose resident Michelle Ralston.
The mandate impacts facilities like the SAP Center, San Jose McEnery Convention Center and the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.
However, last week Liccardo said the mandate would not be effective immediately as venue operators would need time to adjust in order to adhere to the new rule.
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“Thank you to my council colleagues who continue to show their commitment to protecting our residents’ health and safety," said Liccardo in a statement. "We must listen to the science and the data, and right now, the data clearly tells us that vaccination provides our safest path to the other side of this pandemic.”
