Boston Herald

Diehl, anti-vaxxers

Say Baker has gone too far with limits

- By erin Tiernan

A State House rally against Gov. Charlie Baker’s “forced” vaccine and mask mandates doubled as a campaign rally for Republican candidate for governor Geoff Diehl, who took shots at Baker over everything from mail-in voting to free choice.

“Let me ask you this: Are you guys against vaccine mandates and mask mandates?” Diehl said to an energized crowd that shouted “Yes” in return.as they gathered in front along Beacon Street on Sunday afternoon. “Then you know what you got to do. You’ve to vote out the governor. You’ve got to vote out the lieutenant governor and you’ve go to take this into your own hands.”

One attendee shouted out “Tyranny,” as Diehl rallied the crowd.

Participan­ts at the the Boston Broadside Freedom Rally touted signs scrawled with slogans like “Our body, our choice,” “Unmask Massachuse­tts” and “Biden stole the election.”

Diehl, a vocal critic of Baker’s vaccine mandate for state workers in the state’s executive branch and of required mask-wearing in schools, said in a statement that the event was “about the freedom to choose for ourselves, the best path for our health, including whether to wear masks, have our children wear masks, and get vaccinated.”

Baker has not yet revealed his re-election plans, but Diehl has been on the attack since Baker backpedale­d and imposed vaccine mandates for 42,000 state workers and mandated masks in schools last month.

Baker, who is also a Republican, has repeatedly said his decisions around coronaviru­s restrictio­ns and

 ?? JiM Michaud / BoSton herald ?? NO MANDATES: Anti-vaxxers protest in front of the State House on Sunday.
JiM Michaud / BoSton herald NO MANDATES: Anti-vaxxers protest in front of the State House on Sunday.

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