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Hundreds descend on Hyde Park to protest against wearing face masks ahead of new rules
Large groups of people gathered in the capital to protest the new regulations that come into force on July 24, when shoppers in England must wear face masks
By Jamie Hawkins
20:08, 19 JUL 2020
Hundreds of protesters gathered at Hyde Park today to protest the wearing of face coverings. The activists descended on the capital ahead of the government's rule change from Friday, which will see face coverings become mandatory in shops across England. The demonstrators were seen wearing plague doctor costumes, with others holding signs that read 'no mask' and 'I will be not be masked, tested, tracked or poisoned'.
Another was seen wearing a t-shirt that said: ‘Save human rights, no to 5G, no to vaccinations’.
One woman's t-shirt read 'question everything'.
The 'Keep Britain Free march', which was organized by Leah Butler-Smith, told Sky News: "It is just the fact that people are being told they have no choice about wearing a mask. Because the Government started out saying 'there is absolutely no need for a mask', and many other important scientists have reportedly said the same, it did not make any sense why they suddenly said it was going to be mandated."If the Government really wants to protect the public and give them more confidence then they should stop trying to use the coercion strategy or to make people scared."
Ms. Butler-Smith is part of the online campaign Keep Britain Free, which claims the government is in ‘contravention of basic Human Rights’ after forcing people to stay home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Simon Dolan, who recently lost a High Court bid to overturn the government's lockdown rules, told the Mail Online: "I believe in freedom of choice for all and the protection of personal liberties. The Government’s actions are crippling the economy, denying children education, and trampling over human rights."
From July 24, police will have the powers to fine people who flout the new rules up to £100. But stretched police chiefs warned imposing the law would be “nigh-on impossible”. Government insiders suggested the masks would become “part of the new normal” until Britain was through the deadly pandemic. They warned face coverings could be required until scientists developed a successful vaccine that is unlikely to be available before mid-2021. The Mirror understands that shoppers could end up wearing masks for months to come and that they could even be rolled out to other public areas. One Cabinet source said: “We are not doing this with a timeline in mind. This is part of the new normal. Until we get a vaccine we are going to have to be doing a lot of these things. We are not going to be doing this for a few weeks and then giving up. It’s part of a wider package of measures, such a social distancing.”
Another Government source added: “I don’t think anybody can know how long it will be but you have to assume we’ll be wearing masks for a while.”
Experts warn face coverings should be worn in Britain until coronavirus is eradicated. The move brings the UK in line with 120 countries where masks are required in public spaces, including Scotland, Spain, and Germany. Face coverings have not yet been made mandatory in shops in Wales because coronavirus is at its “lowest ebb” in the country, Wales’ finance minister Rebecca Evans said. In Wales, masks will only become mandatory for public transport when new rules come into force on July 27.
