Vaccine mandate protest at L3 Harris plant in Greenville

Oct. 8—Workers at a local defense contractor, and Hunt County's largest employer, conducted a protest early Friday morning, opposing a COVID-19 mandate for the facility's employees.

Several people lined up outside of the main gate at the L3 Harris plant in Greenville, waving signs indicating they were against the executive order issued in early September by President Joe Biden requiring vaccination for employees of contractors who do business with the federal government, with no option to test out.

The signs read "This is not about a virus anymore." 'Freedom not force," and "I call my shots, not you."

Todd Christmas said he helped organize the protest.

"It is about they are forcing us to take a shot that we don't want to take to keep our employment," Christmas said. "The entire plant."

About two dozen people had gathered in the dark at 5 a.m., the planned start of the event. Christmas was unsure how many would eventually be a part of the protest.

"A lot of them said they would be here," he said, adding the protest would be a peaceful one and that anyone causing a disturbance would be required to leave.

The protest was scheduled to continue to 8 a.m. Friday.

Officials with the L3 Harris plant could not be immediately reached for comment.