Abby Blaszczyk never thought she would have to endure what she experienced outside the One Kids Place COVID-19 children's vaccination clinic on Sunday.
She says she was greeted in the parking lot by a band of protesters sporting megaphones.
"We had an afternoon appointment. We pulled up to One Kids Place and there were about 10 protesters, and I use that term loosely, outside. They verbally assaulted us as we drove in; swearing and screaming," she said.
Blaszczyk says it was tough enough to convince her seven-year-old to get a needle, without having to deal with angry protesters on top of it. She says it did not get any better when they left.
"As we pulled out they screamed at me that I was murdering my child and I was committing genocide, all with my seven and four-year-old in the car," she said.
At the time, Blaszczyk says there was no police presence at this protest, but she did find out from a friend that the police did respond later that afternoon.
She adds that the staff at the clinic were amazing inside the facility and the staff encouraged her to call the police about the protest issue outside.
"The fact that there was no protection is unacceptable," she said bluntly.
BayToday unsuccessfully reached out to the North Bay Police Service for a comment, or to see if any charges were laid in connection to the anti-vaccine protest.
Blaszczyk was accompanied by her son who got the vaccination along with her mother and her four-year-old daughter. She tried her best not to be intimidated by the protesters but she has a message for those involved.
"Get a life, go be productive and just educate yourself for God's sake," she said.
"You don't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth. To tell a small seven-year-old that they have just been poisoned."
Abby's daughter turns five next month, she hopes that clinic will be free of protesters.
"I am furious. I am mad and obviously speechless. I have the absolute right to vaccinate my child, and they have the right to not vaccinate but they do not have the right to harass and intimidate people who are seeking health care," she said.
BayToday also reached out for a comment from the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit along with One Kid's Place but did not get a reply by publication time.
