NEW YORK (LifeSiteNews) – Over 150 medical freedom activists gathered outside of Pfizer World Headquarters in Manhattan on Saturday as part of a worldwide protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and concerns regarding the safety of those injections.
The event, known as the World Wide Freedom Rally, scheduled protests in over 40 cities across the globe. Nine of them were in the U.S.
“It is important to show solidarity to all of the freedom fighters who are fighting against the tyranny of our time. The other thing is what Pfizer and AstraZeneca have done is poison this country and give it this idea that they have our best interest as far as health is concerned, and they don’t,” said Kevin Jenkins, a co-chairman for the Zelenko Freedom Foundation.
The Zelenko Freedom Foundation “is organized exclusively to provide funding to social entities and social activities surrounding education, leadership development, health literacy, advocacy, public policy, social, health, and community development,” its website explains.
Shana Cottone, a sergeant in the Boston Police Department, drove down to New York on Friday to attend Saturday’s rally. Cottone is also the president of the Boston First Responders United, an organization set up to oppose the vaccine-related mandates implemented by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
“This isn’t just a New York City issue, a Boston issue, a California issue. This is a national issue and a global issue,” said Cottone. “If we don’t communicate with one another and support each other, they have all the money, time, and personnel to try and crush us.”
She feels these events are vital to win over support from the general public.
“You gotta get out there, and that’s how we change hearts and minds. It’s conversations, face-to-face conversations. Online is nice and helps you get the information out, but this is the stuff that changes hearts and minds,” said Cottone.
‘We are not slaves’ and ought to be able to choose what goes into our bodies: Health freedom rapper
In efforts to change hearts and minds, some medical freedom activists have turned to music to help share their message. One of these is a rapper who goes by the name Kozi-19, a spin on COVID-19.
The self-described “health-freedom activist” lost his job as a healthcare worker at a not-for-profit nursing home in New York City when they claimed he presented a burden to the facility. This was after they had granted him a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate.
“I believe that people have the right to choose what they put in their bodies. We are not slaves. The minute that the government forces you to take something or tells us you don’t have a choice” about whether to take an experimental injection, said Kozi.
“They control your body and that’s not right.”
‘The world is alive right now’ and ‘people are paying more attention to what’s going on’
Individuals such as Kozi and Jenkins believe that pharmaceutical corporations like Pfizer are in control of the very government agencies that are mandating their products.
“I just want everyone to understand that this fight is not over,” stated Jenkins. “We have to go after these captured agencies and strip them of all of their power. Those agencies are the ones who have been used against us. They are the FDA, NIH, CDC, and many more. They’ve all been captured.” 
Many activists present expressed that continuing this fight was on their minds. Some admitted feeling fatigued – after all, they have been expressing concerns about the coronavirus vaccines and potential mandates ever since Pfizer first released its COVID shot back in December 2020.
Cottone herself, even having dealt with past difficulties on the line of duty, such as being on the finish line during the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, has found the fight against mandates challenging.
“This has been the most challenging, exhausting, soul-trying experience of my life,” said Cottone.
However, despite this, Jenkins believes the medical freedom movement is alive and well. “I think they’ve sparked life in us. I think the world is alive right now. I think people are paying more attention to what’s going on. So I’m very encouraged. When we first started, I wasn’t very encouraged, but now I’m excited.”