Two weeks ago a large gathering in Tallinn’s Freedom Square protested that their constitutional rights were violated. While the organizers, EKRE’s leadership, ostensibly targeted ‘vaccine passports’, the protest in essence was mainly a crass anti-vaccine action.
Betraying their real cause was EKRE chairman and former economics minister Martin Helme who stated on a podcast interview that the drug vermectin is more effective than vaccines. In fact vermectin is mostly given to animals in fighting parasites and has no effect with COVID-19. Like other similar groups internationally, EKRE has managed to politicize the anti- vaccination movement and thereby deepening the polarization of the country.
Viewing video in Toronto of Helme’s exhortations at the demonstration, “Down with the government” (“Maha Kallase valitsus”), one was somewhat reminded of the aggressiveness of politicians urging insurrectionists January 6 to overtake the Congress in Washington.
We were also reminded of Mr. Trump’s musings in 2020 when he suggested that household bleach could be injected as a cure. He and his ilk have abandoned credible, peer-reviewed research and denied world-wide statistical analysis that undeniably proves the efficacy of preventative vaccines. It’s an abject rejection of objective reporting in the main stream media (disdainfully scorned by the far right) and a lemming-like willingness to be radicalized by extreme-right on-line media. (A the time of this writing Estonia had the highest rate of COVID-19 infections of countries, worldwide.)
Among the participants at Tallinn’s demonstrations were members of the Soldiers of Odin, a extreme right group, founded in Finland in 2015, with affiliates in many countries including the USA and Canada. The Canadian Soldier of Odin chapter is headquartered in Quebec and is known to authorities as promoting vigilante violence against immigrants and refugees who they accuse of terrorism. Soldiers of Odin are also known for their advocacy of bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism and white supremacy.
(Pikemalt saab lugeda Eesti Elu 5. novembri 2021 paber- ja PDF/digilehest)
