Anti-vaccine mandate protestors disrupt London school board meeting
Protestors against vaccine mandates for school-aged children disrupted a Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) meeting Tuesday evening.
The meeting was being held at Louise Arbour French Immersion Public School on Bellfield Street in London, Ont. when dozens of protestors showed up, resulting in police having to attend.
On the agenda was a motion to write a letter to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health requesting that the COVID-19 vaccine be added to the list of compulsory vaccinations for students.
When CTV News London cameras arrived on scene protestors turned their attention on journalists with chants of “tell the truth.”
In video captured by a CTV News London reporter, protesters can be seen shouting insults and yelling obscenities towards journalists.
At one point, the meeting had to be adjourned while police worked to control the protestors.
“Our role as the police is to be here to maintain the peace, allow the protestors to peacefully protest, while still allowing any meetings that are going on inside the school,” said Const. Buckle.
Ultimately, the motion was withdrawn during the meeting due to a conclusion that the letter may not be necessary.
“It is my understanding that the Chief Medical Officer of Health is currently reviewing this issue, and the Ontario Public School Board Association will advocate on behalf of all boards. Thus, I withdrew the motion,” said Trustee Corrine Rahman in a release.
In a statement released to media the board noted that they have been dealing with anti-vaccine supporters spreading false information online that TVDSB was attempting to mandate vaccinations for students.
“This is false information,” said Mark Fisher, Director or Education. “The Board has no authority to mandate student COVID-19 vaccinations and was never part of the agenda.”
Fisher had described Tuesday’s protest as “disturbing.”
Calls to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of compulsory vaccines for students have been growing in recent weeks. Toronto’s Board of Health has indicated that it will ask the province to add COVID-19 vaccines to the list.
Health Minister Christine Elliott has not said if that is a step the government will take but has addressed the issue stating that the province will look at anything that could protect people.
— With files from CTV's Kristylee Varley and Daryl Newcombe
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6992838.1723111995!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
A powerful earthquake hits off southern Japan; tsunami advisory issued
A powerful earthquake struck off Japan's southern coast on Thursday, triggering a tsunami advisory. Residents were urged to stay away from the coastline.
Two Flair passengers in B.C. were told a bird strike cancelled their flight. Then they did their own research
Flair Airlines was ordered to compensate two passengers after a B.C. tribunal found there was no evidence a bird strike actually caused a flight cancellation.
Crew of Titan sub knew they were going to die before implosion, according to more than US$50M lawsuit
The family of a French explorer who died in a submersible implosion has filed a more than US$50 million lawsuit, saying the crew experienced 'terror and mental anguish' before the disaster and accusing the sub's operator of gross negligence.
Harris and Walz say they're 'joyful warriors,' narrowly miss tarmac confrontation with Vance
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz got an idea of just how hotly contested the Midwest will be when they overlapped on a Wisconsin tarmac with Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance.
Canada pulls diplomats' kids out of Israel as fear of broader war builds
The Canadian government says it decided to pull its diplomats' children and their guardians out of Israel, amid fears over an expanded Mideast war.
'The U.K. is safe': Britain's finance minister insists on country's safety amid violent riots
One of the U.K.'s senior cabinet ministers insists the country is safe despite the Canadian government cautioning travel to the U.K. due to ongoing far-right violent riots.
Toronto condo sells at $320,000 loss
A 37th-floor luxury condo in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district that sold for a $320,000 loss is an example of a condo market that hasn’t been this tough in decades, Realtors and observers say.
What we know about a fatal shooting by armed suspects east of Calgary
The man shot and killed by two armed suspects east of Calgary on Tuesday is believed to be an employee of Rocky View County, where the incident occurred.
Organizers cancel Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna over fears of an attack
Organizers of three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna this week called them off on Wednesday after officials announced arrests over an apparent plot to launch an attack on an event in the Vienna area such as the concerts.