Protesters gathered on Sept. 28, in front of the library at American River College, to voice objection against the mandate for the COVID-19 vaccination. 

The protesters want the mandate to be ended immediately, according to Ryan Nix, a health service worker for ARC.

“Our goal is to let the chancellor and board of trustees know that they need to immediately end their COVID-19 vaccine mandate,” Nix said. 

The COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement to attend in-person classes on a LRCCD campus. 

According to Scott Crow, ARC’s public information officer, the LRCCD policy requires vaccinations or an approved exemption for employees and students who take in-person classes. 

“We are constantly balancing the academic needs of our students with current public health conditions and evaluating the evolving needs of our community,” Crow said in an email to the Current.

According to Nix, this protest isn’t about whether people should be vaccinated..

“I am not advocating for or against the vaccination,” Nix said. “People need to make that decision for themselves.”

Staff, students and local citizens turned out. A mother and daughter made signs to stand in solidarity with the protest. 

Crow says that the college and district allows people to protest for what they believe in. 

“American River College and Los Rios are committed to ensuring that all persons are able to exercise their constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech and assembly,” Crow said.