Video Does Not Show Police Blocking Parents as Kids Get Vaccinated
The Claim
A video shows police blocking parents from intervening while their children get the COVID-19 vaccination without their permission.
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Emerging story
A pop-up vaccination site in Toronto was vaccinating children aged 12 and older. A video of the event claiming that parents who were concerned about their children being vaccinated were being blocked by police went viral.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar found that the viral video shows protesters, not parents, outside of a vaccination site. Canada was the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine for individuals between the ages of 12 to 15. The protesters were there to speak out against this decision and the site administering the vaccine.
The pop-up vaccination event took place on May 23rd at the Toronto City Hall. The vaccination site administered 2,000 doses to those aged 12 and older and offered free ice cream as an incentive to get vaccinated. According to a spokesperson for the event, protesters were blocked by police due to threats to the clinic.
While Canada does allow individuals between the age of 12 to 17 to get vaccinated without parental consent, the children being vaccinated at this event did have a parent present.
