The threat of rain wasn’t enough to deter dozens of demonstrators from congregating in front of Battle Ground Mayor Adrian Cortes’ house on Sunday to show their support for a “medical freedom” ordinance put forth by city councilor Brian Munson which the city council would consider the following day.
On Sept. 19, demonstrators gathered in the 2600 block of Northeast Eighth Avenue in the latest North Clark County rally regarding the city’s stance on masking and vaccination requirements. Though Cortes was not home, people filled the corners of the nearby intersection as they listened to music and discussed why they felt the ordinance is necessary.
Coordinated by “activist collective” Waking Up Washington, the rally was preceded by a similar demonstration in front of Battle Ground City Hall on Sept. 7. Later that evening at the Battle Ground City Council meeting, Munson moved to have the council consider the ordinance at its next meeting. According to the agenda for the Sept. 20 meeting, the council will consider whether to move forward with the ordinance, which if approved, would prohibit the city from requiring any city employee, contractor or volunteer to be vaccinated, and would keep the city from enforcing a mask mandate or social distancing in public spaces.
