Amused Australians have flocked online to mock American ‘freedom fighters’ who declared our country needed to be ‘saved’ during bizarre anti-vax protests in New York.
Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of the Big Apple on Monday as they marched to the Australian consulate in Manhattan to rally against Covid vaccine mandates and lockdown restrictions Down Under.
The protesters chanted ‘Save Australia’ and carried Australian flags and signs that read: ‘What is happening in Melbourne?’
‘People around the world are not allowed to go to restaurants. I watched my Australian friend live on Instagram,’ said one man, during speeches outside the consulate.
Hundreds of Americans have bizarrely staged a mass protest to ‘Save Australia’ as Covid-19 vaccination mandates are enforced on teachers in New York (pictured)
The rally first began outside the Department of Education headquarters on Monday as New York’s vaccine mandate for public school teachers and other education staff took effect
Protesters marched through the streets of New York (pictured) after a vaccine mandate was enforced for public school teachers
‘What’s going on in Australia is not just going to be Australia. And when it shows up on our doorsteps, we’re gonna punch it right in the f***ing teeth,’ another speaker said, referencing the recent vaccine mandates for authorised workers in Victoria.
But Aussies were bemused to discover their country needed ‘saving’, with thousands reacting to the strange event with hilarious posts to let Americans know we are doing just fine.
‘Not sure what Americans in NY are saving us from, but if it’s a lack of American tourists entering Australia and clogging up our beaches, then thanks I guess,’ one Aussie man tweeted, alongside a picture of a secluded beach.
‘So thankful for those brave Americans protesting my rights… to drink a beer… at the beach,’ another added sarcastically.
‘Thank u Americans. #saveaustralia from our mind controlling fascist dictatorship. Love from #noosa xoxo,’ one woman joked, sharing a photo of Aussies at the beach enjoying sunny weather.
Many were quick to suggest the US should stick to addressing its own social issues before worrying about Australia.
‘Save Australia from what exactly?! Medicare? Free healthcare? Gun control? No school shootings? Four week annual leave? Maternity/parental leave? Sick leave? Access to the Covid-19 vaccination?’ one person tweeted.
Protesters are seen walking through the streets of Brooklyn during a Freedom Rally in New York
The surprising support coming out of America wasn’t exactly well received by Aussies who bluntly said they ‘didn’t need saving’
One Aussie took aim at Americans following the protests in New York
One Australian woman questioned just what the American protesters were saving her from
‘Hey USA, we don’t need you to #SaveAustralia. Your track record for ‘saving’ or thinking people need saving isn’t crash hot. We aren’t in any trouble, we have freedom too, it’s just that we just care more about our people surviving than money. Thanks for the thought I guess,’ an Australian woman wrote.
‘Save Australia!!! We are being held captive here by universal healthcare, no guns, abundant sunshine and low Covid rates. Help!!!’ The Guardian Australia’s Paul Karp sarcastically tweeted.
‘Before Covid we had 30 years of uninterrupted economic growth – so obviously we’re worked hard. The dictators make us put 10% of our salary into super (401K) so we don’t retire in poverty. Where is the freedom?!?’
‘Don’t think we need #SaveAustralia. Maybe come back to us with some tips for gun control and preferential voting when you’re ready,’ a fifth said.
Others joked Yankees should scratch up on their knowledge about Australia first before trying to tackle the country’s problems.
‘I bet the majority of those protesting #SaveAustralia wouldn’t even know where we are let alone how much we don’t need saving. Anyway. Cheers,’ one tweeted with a picture of a glass of red wine.
‘Americans shouting ‘save Australia’ would mean something if they actually could find us on a map #SaveAustralia,’ one fired back.
‘When Americans can say Melbourne properly, then they can be worried about what is happening there,’ added another.
‘Next thing they’ll be having ads: For just $1/ day you could support an Australian,’ a third said.
Some pointed out the US might want to take a leaf out of Australia’s book on how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘New York has a population of 8 million and has had 55,000 deaths due to Covid,’ one person said.
‘Victoria has a population of 6.7 million and a Covid death toll of 877.’
‘The irony of a nation that 1. Lacks universal healthcare 2. Leads the world table in number of Covid deaths 3. Is marching in NY where they were literally burying bodies into mass graves due to Covid to save us? Save yourself,’ another Tweeted.
However, a handful of Australians thanked those in the US for standing up for their freedom to choose whether to be vaccinated against Covid.
‘God Bless the people of New York,’ one tweeted.
‘Thank you to all the awesome New Yorkers for your support! Love from Australia!’ said another.
‘Look people on the other side of the world care more about Australia than the people who live here,’ a third Aussie wrote.
On Wednesday, the hashtag ‘Save Australia’ became one of the top trending phrases on Twitter, featuring in almost 10,000 tweets, as thousands weighed in on the peculiar protest.
The rally began outside the Department of Education headquarters on Monday as New York’s own vaccine mandate for public school teachers and other education staff took effect.
The heated scenes come as Joe Biden’s press chief was questioned over vaccine mandates, with reference to directives in Australia causing ‘disturbing images’ at protests in Melbourne.
A reporter asked President Joe Biden’s Press Secretary Jen Psaki at a White House press conference whether he would consider similar measures enforced in Australia if case numbers rose during the US winter.
But some Aussies thanked those in the US for standing up for them despite being so far away
‘We’re seeing very disturbing images out of Australia,’ a reporter asked her.
‘Does President Biden support what the Australian government is doing in their country? And would he consider similar measures in the United States?’
Ms Psaki danced around the question and said the US would stick to their own policies.
‘The President has been pursuing our own policies here in the United States, which has led to nearly 80 percent of the American public getting at least one shot and bringing the cases of Covid down dramatically over the past several months,’ Ms Psaki responded.
‘So, we’ll continue to abide by and conduct our own policies.’
The US protests follow similar rallies seen in Victoria after vaccine mandates were enforced for all authorised workers in the state, who must be fully vaccinated by November 25.
When the mandate was given to construction workers two weeks ago, protesters filled the streets, damaging buildings and police cars and hundreds had to be taken away in handcuffs.
The New York protest isn’t the first time Americans have criticised the government’s handling of the pandemic in Australia, with a Texan citizens’ lobbying group comparing the country to a prison.
The Texas Freedom Coalition earlier posted a meme to its Facebook page that equates Australia’s strict Covid-19 lockdown laws to a penitentiary system.
Police had to intervene after one protester reportedly flipped over a Covid-19 testing table while another tried to pull a tent down
The Texas freedom coalition shared the meme to its Facebook group comparing Australian lockdowns to prison (pictured)
A map of Australia is pictured alongside the text: ‘What the world’s largest prison looks like from space’.
In a caption written alongside the meme the Texas Freedom Coalition wrote: ‘Pray for Australia. It’s almost unbelievable what is happening there’.
Meanwhile several news reporters have also unleashed on the harsh punishments enforced on Covid rule breakers.
Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham earlier ridiculed the drastic stay-at-home orders that have been enforced across Sydney for now four months despite a ‘0.004 case to population ratio’.
‘It’s been seven weeks of lockdown in Sydney, Australia and they’re still keeping the vice grip on the population,’ the TV host said during a news segment in August.
The news anchor held back her laughter as she poked fun at the ‘whopping’ rise in cases and mocked the state government’s reaction to keeping the city locked down.
‘The population of New South Wales: 8.2 million,’ Ingraham said.
‘Meaning a case-to-population ratio of .004 per cent. They locked down for that.’
She then turned her attention to Canberra calling the city ‘insane’ after the Australian capital announced it would enforce a seven-day lockdown.
The decision came after the city recorded its first Covid-19 case in a year.
‘The capital city has a population of 400,000. They have just entered a snap lockdown over one case. A single case,’ Ms Ingraham said before breaking into laughter.
Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham ridiculed the drastic stay-at-home orders that have been enforced across the New South Wales capital
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