Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Belfast city centre on Saturday to voice opposition to Stormont’s Public Health Bill.
The ‘Stop The NI Health Bill’ rally took place outside City Hall with many participants holding placards reading ‘we do not consent”, “this bill is not about health” and “health is not injected’.
Other slogans included “stay free” and “protect your rights”.
Those in attendance included former heavyweight boxer Martin Rogan, who fought 22 times as a professional before walking away with a record of 16-6, applauded from the side lines during the demonstration as he donned a grey hoodie.
The Department of Health here is consulting on potential new laws to deal with another public health emergency like Covid-19. The DUP previously warned it has “undermined public confidence”.
One of the party’s MLAs, Diane Dodds, said the proposals “represent a huge overreach and must be rejected” and called for the consultation to be scrapped.
Organisers of the protest claim the proposed bill “undermines human rights, limits personal choice and bypasses true public consultation” and have warned the legislation “threatens your medical freedom with forced exams, quarantine, and vaccinations”.
Critics have also claimed it “extends emergency powers, allowing authorities to impose severe restrictions without consent”.
Hundreds of protesters gather at City Hall in Belfast for ‘Stop the NI Health Bill’ rally. Pic by Presseye.
The bill has sparked controversy, particularly around vaccines, with opponents expressing concerns that it could pave the way for unacceptably coercive measures in the future.
The demonstration comes after the health minister insisted he did not support the introduction of “mandatory vaccination” as part of the new legislation designed to contain severe threats to public health.
Mike Nesbitt extended the ongoing public consultation until October 14 over “confusion” about its contents.
The planned bill is intended to replace the 1967 Public Health Act, “ensuring Northern Ireland can respond to a wider range of severe threats to public health”.
It does not explicitly mandate compulsory vaccination and states that regulations must allow exemptions from vaccination and include provisions about how someone can show that exemption.
Mr Nesbitt previously said there had been “some misunderstanding”, but stressed that the legislation would be subject to the Assembly’s scrutiny processes.
‘Stop the NI Health Bill’ protest in Belfast. Pic by Presseye.
A section of the consultation asks the public if authorities should be able to impose certain restrictions in the event of a threat to public health including the possibility of “requiring a person to submit to medical examination,” “be removed to a hospital or other suitable establishment” or “require a person to be vaccinated”.
The new bill would also cover infection and contamination from biological, chemical and radiological sources in addition to infectious diseases.
The Department of Health has maintained that it “needs to replace outdated public health legislation that is more than 55 years old”.
“We need legislation that covers infection and contamination from biological, chemical and radiological sources and brings us into line with the rest of the UK,” a spokesperson previously said.
“Any draft legislation emerging from the consultation will go through the Northern Ireland Assembly’s normal scrutiny processes, including a detailed review by the Health Committee and an Assembly debate followed by votes of the full Assembly.
“A public consultation is supposed to stimulate public debate.”