Nicki Minaj supporters marched on the Atlanta HQ of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — chanting that the pop star “told the truth” with her bizarre comments about COVID vaccines.
More than a dozen protesters shouted through a loudspeaker Wednesday in defense of Minaj’s baseless fears about the jabs, including that a cousin’s friend was left impotent and with swollen testicles.
“Nicki told the truth to me! Fauci lied to me!” the rabble chanted, referring to White House infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, who said this week there’s “no evidence” backing Minaj’s claims.
Protest leaders told CBS46 that they trusted the “WAP” star’s word over that of CDC officials and Fauci.
“Nicki the queen of rock!” one of the march’s ringleaders told the outlet of the rapper’s apparent credentials.
“And she said, ‘I’m questioning this vaccine, and we should all question this vaccine,'” said the protester, who was not identified by the station.
The health minister in Trinidad and Tobago — where Minaj’s cousin’s friend lives — has complained that they “wasted so much time … chasing down the false claim,” with no one reporting swollen testicles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta. REUTERS/Tami Chappell/FileCBS46 did not say if anyone from the CDC addressed the protest outside its HQ in Georgia — a state where less than 45 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
However, Dr. Neetu Abad, a scientist and misinformation expert for the group, diplomatically told the outlet that the CDC “is advocating that people take advice from trusted healthcare professionals.”
“If somebody doesn’t have that background, then no, we don’t recommend listening to them,” she said.
Abad also insisted, “We know that COVID vaccines are safe and effective and they don’t affect men or women’s fertility.”
