TVDSB meeting interrupted by anti-vaccine protesters

Anti-vaccine protestors gathered outside the Thames Valley District School Board meeting Tuesday night temporarily interrupting the meeting.

Anti-vaccine protesters gathered outside the Thames Valley District School Board meeting Tuesday night, temporarily interrupting the meeting.

Around 15 minutes into the meeting at 7;15 p.m., protesters can be heard on the livestream loudly yelling and banging on the windows outside the meeting, prompting board members to call a recess until police arrived.

The meeting was paused for approximately 15 minutes before it resumed.

Around 70 to 75 people could be seen on the scene when Global News arrived just after 9 p.m., including seven police cars and police officers guarding the doors to stop protesters from entering the building.

“There have been no arrests in relation to the protest. Our role as the police is to remain here to maintain the peace, allow the protesters to peacefully protest while allowing any meeting inside the school to continue,” said relief media officer const. Travis Buckle.

Buckle says he is unaware of any protests trying to enter the building but they were asked to come after protestors started banging on the windows.

On Tuesday night the board was set to vote on whether they would send a letter to the provincial government, urging them to add COVID-19 vaccines to the list of compulsory vaccines for students.