Items

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  2022-02-04

  HIST30060: Canberra Test Centre

  This photograph depicts negative popular responses towards public messaging about the pandemic. On the Canberran road sign, a sticker reads, “The media is (the virus) lying to you. Turn off your tell lie vision.” At the bottom of the corner, a sign points towards a PCR test centre. This photograph was taken in February 2022. It is likely that this sticker was posted by a Freedom Rally protester. In January 2022, the Freedom Rally attracted thousands of protesters to Canberra in protest of the government’s response to the pandemic. The “Canberra Convoy” drove from all parts of the country to protest in front of parliament house. While the protesters’ concerns primarily revolved around the vaccination mandate and media censorship, the movement evolved to include all manner of political concerns, including housing affordability, the rising mental health crisis, religious freedoms et cetera. This photograph illustrates how the government measures and media coverage of the pandemic were not universally accepted but rather hotly contested in some places. The Freedom Rally, for example, attracted over 100,000 people to the nation’s capital. The photograph further shows popular anger towards the media coverage of the pandemic. The Australian Broadcasting Channel in particular attracted the ire of the anti-vaccination and anti-mandate movement for contributing towards increased fear of the virus and support for the vaccine.
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  2020-10-24

  "I Stand with Mi'Kmaq"

  This photo includes two girls, one holding a sign which states "I stand with Mi'kmaq" while the other's says "Respect the Treaties."
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  2020-08-24

  "In the Age of Information, Ignorance is a Choice"

  This post ties the pandemic and protesting together--the protester is wearing a mask, and while her sign is most likely a reference to the ignorance of white supremacy, it also works for ignorance of anti-maskers or COVID conspiracy theorists.
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  2020-07-03

  Political Cartoon Lady Liberty is Confused

  The drawing depicts Lady Liberty in between a crowd of protesters and a crowd of police. Liberty thinks she somehow is no longer in America. The police are in riot gear, the protesters are wearing masks.
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  2020-06-01

  4,000+ Protestors Arrested During Pandemic

  Protests have erupted across the U.S. in response to another death of a black man in police custody. The protests have continued for seven straight days and over 4,000 people have been arrested. This creates a larger problem during the time of covid 19. With officials concerned about the spread of the virus within incarcerated populations and releasing inmates early, are they concerned about the thousands they are arresting? Are they keeping those arrested in jail or releasing them? Is the pandemic effecting their choice?
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  2020-04-27

  Arizona GOP chairwoman tells anti-lockdown protesters to impersonate health care workers

  The politically motivated fight to frame America's free press as "fake news" continues for Arizona GOP leaders urging stay-at-home-order protesters to don scrubs and medical masks to trick the media.