New Jersey governor tears into group of vaccine protestors: 'You are the ultimate knuckleheads'

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) tore into a group of vaccine protestors on Wednesday with a rant sure to have made tough-guy Garden State icons like Tony Soprano and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino proud.

"You've lost your minds," Murphy bellowed to a small group of dissenters objecting to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination during a bill signing event in Union City. "You are the ultimate knuckleheads, and because of what you are saying and standing for, people are losing their life."

On Monday, Murphy announced New Jersey will require full COVID-19 vaccination for all workers in hospitals, long-term care centers, prisons, and "a number of other state and private health care facilities," per NJ.com; employees who choose to forgo vaccination will be subject to repeated testing. Those protesting Wednesday's event were reportedly carrying signs that said "medical choice is a human right" and "no forced injections," among other sentiments.

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"People are losing their life," Murphy repeated in what was apparently a "rare flash" of outward anger, "and you have to know that. Look in the mirror. Look in the mirror."

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Brigid Kennedy

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.