CORONAVIRUS: Protesters in Paris believe the mask was imposed in several major cities “without any scientific justification”
They were nearly 300 people who gathered this Saturday afternoon in Paris to denounce the compulsory wearing of a mask in the street, according to an AFP journalist present at the demonstration.
The demonstrators gathered in the calm, Place de la Nation, to protest against the government, accusing it of “manipulating people through fear” and of imposing the mask in several large cities “without any scientific justification”.
Rassemblement #antimasques à Paris place de la Nation pic.twitter.com/mq4dgalF53
— Estelle Farge (@Estelle_Farge) August 29, 2020
“No medical justification” for anti-masks
This is one of the first mobilizations of anti-mask activists in France where they are struggling to come out of the shadows, unlike other countries such as Germany where an “anticorona” demonstration brought together some 18,000 people on Saturday. Berlin. In Paris, the demonstrators were quickly surrounded by dozens of police, some of whom issued tickets of 135 euros for not wearing a mask.
Plusieurs amendes de 135€ sont dressés pour « non-port du #masque » lors de la manifestation #antimasques.
Depuis, les contrevenants ont remis leur masque #COVIDー19 #MasquesObligatoires pic.twitter.com/ZdyKsUFI9r— Yahoo Actualités (@YahooActuFR) August 29, 2020
“People don’t want the mask, they only wear it because they are afraid of getting a fine,” one of the protesters said over the microphone to applause. Sophie, a Parisian close to fifty, came to demonstrate for “the freedom to choose”. “I am simply a citizen angry at the liberticidal measures which have no medical justification,” she said. “Why is there this obligation, when despite the increase in cases of contamination, there are no longer many people in the hospital? », She adds.
« Liberté ! » scandent environ 200 #antimasque réunis à Paris pour la première mobilisation de ce genre en France. Ils dénoncent une atteinte aux libertés individuelles #MasquesObligatoires #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/2ey1le0SWd
— Yahoo Actualités (@YahooActuFR) August 29, 2020
The cost of masks criticized by the yellow vests
Beside her, demonstrators hold up placards proclaiming “Stop lies and corruption” or “The deep state will not pass”. “There is a lie somewhere because at the beginning he said that you shouldn’t put on a mask. We want to know why this inconsistency, ”said Saïd, 53, from Bagneux (Hauts-de-Seine).
“There is no scientific evidence of the usefulness of the mask death on the outside. The Covid-19 is not dangerous enough, it mainly kills people over the age of 60, ”says Anaïs, 26, a sociology student. Among the demonstrators are several “yellow vests” who expressed their solidarity and in particular criticized the fact that the mask is not free. “This is one more justification for not taxing it and making the people pay,” one of them explained.
