CAROLINE Lucas says she felt “sad and angry” that a protest outside a new Covid-19 vaccination centre stopped the public receiving their vaccines.
The Brighton Centre’s vaccination service was due to move to the former Topshop store in Churchill Square on Monday, August 30.
Vaccinations were set to be available all day, but hundreds of protesters gathered outside the vaccination centre.
As a result, the vaccine centre was closed to members of the public while the protest took place.
The Brighton Pavilion MP took to social media to share her disdain over the protest.
She said: “Sad and angry that people have been prevented from receiving potentially life-saving vaccinations.
“Heartfelt thanks to all the staff and volunteers for all their hard work and dedication - these protestors do not speak for Brighton.”
The former Topshop store has taken over from the Brighton Centre as the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s largest Covid-19 vaccination hub.
The Brighton Centre site opened in January, delivering up to 3,000 vaccinations a day during peak demand.
It was staffed by more than 150 SCFT workers and over 100 volunteers, every day since.
The team has delivered a total of over 250,000 first and second dose vaccinations at the centre.
Notorious conspiracy theorist Kate Shemirani, from East Sussex, was one of the speakers at Monday’s protest.
She gave a number of speeches through a microphone, while other protesters held placards with messages including "can you trust the media?".
As a result of the disruption, the Sussex Community NHS asked those with vaccination appointments at the new centre at Churchill Square not to attend on Monday.
A spokeswoman from the trust said the centre reopened at 4pm.
“The team were operating as normal, working hard to see everyone who had appointments and who walked in for jabs,” she said.
“Due to disruption at Churchill Square our vaccination centre had to close for a few hours on Monday, 30 August. Doors opened again just after 4pm with our teams working hard to see everyone who had booked an appointment, as well as people who wanted walk-in appointments.”
The vaccination centre will be open from 8.30am to 8pm each day. Walk ins are welcome from 8.30am to 7pm.
All adults can walk in and receive their vaccination without an appointment. The service also offers vaccinations to 16- and 17-year-olds.
To book an appointment visit nhs.uk/covidvaccine or call 119.
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