By Anthony Gockowski

A large crowd of protesters marched through downtown Rochester Monday in protest of Mayo Clinic’s vaccine mandate, which could put as many as 8,000 people out of work. The demonstration lasted for more than four hours, according to video of the event, as protesters carried signs calling for an end to “medical tyranny” and chanting “shame on Mayo.”

To comply with the Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandates, Mayo Clinic informed its employees that they must receive a COVID-19 vaccine or a medical or religious exemption by Nov. 8, according to Med City Beat. Unvaccinated employees without exemptions will be placed on unpaid leave on Dec. 3. If they’re still not vaccinated by Jan. 3, 2022, they will be terminated.

Med City Beat reports that about 8,000 Mayo Clinic employees are unvaccinated.

One Mayo Clinic employee, Kalley Newkirk, went public with her resignation last week.

“I am one, of many, who is resigning from Mayo Clinic, due to the recent email sent to Mayo Clinic Staff and contractors, indicating mandatory COVID-19 vaccination,” Newkirk said in her resignation letter, which she published on Facebook.

“I am not an anti-vaxxer. I have every other vaccine under the sun! I believe in science, I believe in research, but what I don’t believe in: politics getting involved in personal health choices. It breaks patient autonomy, and it is monopolizing the healthcare industry. This institution is falling victim to communism,” she continued.

Hundreds of protesters also gathered at the Minnesota Capitol Saturday to protest vaccine mandates.