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Health freedom advocates last week protested Chicago’s vaccine mandate requiring anyone 5 years old and older to show proof of vaccination before entering public businesses.

“Any freedom we give up now, is a freedom our kids will never know,” said Josh Alvarado, co-organizer of the protest and a member of Illinois Standing Against Tyranny.

Hillary Kurzawa, who opposes the mandates, told protesters:

“We will not stay silent while our businesses are forced to manage private health choices or face the consequences of the inspectors and fines. If we choose to follow blindly, what message does that send to our children? I say, it tells our children that their happiness is in a syringe and it is okay to discriminate as long as it’s for the greater good.”

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated endured frigid temperatures to stand strong for their right to bodily autonomy and to make it clear that medical tyranny affects all people.

“Our strength is in our unity,” a retired Marine told the activists. “The most important thing we can do is spread the truth.”

What Chicago’s protest demonstrated is that health freedom movement protests are different from political rallies. The movement’s rallies cannot look like an extension of a Republican convention or a Democratic convention, because the health freedom movement is not based on those principles.

“Many people in this movement are Christians but this is not a Christian movement,” activist Ben Raue reminded the crowd, adding:

“Many people in this movement are Republican but this is not a Republican movement. People need to be waking up and we can’t do that if we’re coming from a place of anger … The only way we’re going to wake these people up is if we’re coming from a deep place of love.”

The health freedom movement’s principles are based on a person’s right to choose, in bodily autonomy.

“I’m here because of my granddaughter,” said Stephanie Trussel, candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois. “She’s six years old, a first-grader, and doesn’t know what her teacher looks like because she’s wearing a mask. We gotta do this for our kids.”