Kentuckians protest mask mandates, vaccinations outside governor’s mansion

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WAVE) - Dozens of protesters gathered in Frankfort on Wednesday to express their disdain for what they called “tyrannical” mandates coming out of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s office.

Despite heavy rain, protesters held water-logged signs and umbrellas in front of the governor’s mansion with hopes of being heard.

No masks, and no forced vaccinations; that was the general consensus among the group.

While a mask mandate remains in place across the state, there’s nothing forcing Kentuckians to get vaccinated.

However, Beshear did say this week he’d remove restrictions once 2.5 million people in the state get vaccinated.

That means 900,000 more Kentuckians would have to be vaccinated, which doesn’t sit right for some.

“I don’t know who he thinks he is,” said Valerie Mayer of Cox’s Creek, “but that’s manipulation, and I think hostage-taking is the right word for that.”

Deborah Gutierrez came to Frankfort from Mt. Washington. She’s a registered nurse. She said she understands the danger COVID-19 has presented, and she isn’t denying the death it’s caused, but to force things onto the masses as a means to an end is where she draws the line.

“I’ve had many people say to me, well, I’ve taken it, because maybe they’ll let us go back to normal if we take it,” Gutierrez said. “You shouldn’t even have to think such a thought in America.”

Gutierrez added that people should be responsible for their own health and that people should research beyond the surface to make their own choices, like when it comes to the effectiveness of masks.

“We’re all adults,” she said. “We’re all law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. We can make our own choices and are fully capable of doing that.”

Some other people at the protest claimed the “media” as a whole were skewing facts and wouldn’t clarify how, nor talk on record to media sources to discuss the alleged misleading facts. The group plans to return to Frankfort on Sunday.

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