Hundreds of people have descended on Hyde Park today to protest new rules that make wearing face coverings indoors mandatory.
Masks must be worn in shops and supermarkets in England from July 24th, with those who fail to follow the rules facing a fine of up £100.
Last week several members of the Conservative Party cut up their membership cards in protest to the move, and the reaction seems to have spilled over today.
What to do we want?
— ianVisits (@ianvisits) July 19, 2020
COVID!
When do we want it?
NOW!https://t.co/BuFh5Q28VV
Crowds started gathering at about 2pm ahead of an expected march.
People held placards reading “I will be not be masked, tested, tracked” and “no mask”.
New polling today indicated overwhelming support for the mandatory us of face masks.
Seventy one per cent of adults in England support this measure, compared to just 13 per cent who oppose.
Two-thirds (64 per cent) of UK adults believe face masks are an effective way to contain the virus, and almost half (49 per cent) already wear a mask when going to the supermarket.
so apparently there's an anti-masks-in-shops protest happening in London right now…please don't tell me we're turning into America on that front pic.twitter.com/gLQg5SG3dK
— Anton Volkov (@antovolk) July 19, 2020
Adam Drummond, head of political polling at Opinium, said: “The consistent trend of polling on public safety measures during the Coronavirus crisis has been that the public are much more safety-first than we think and that complaints that public health measures trample on ancient sacred liberties are an extremely niche concern.
“Like the original lockdown measures, making face masks mandatory in shops is seen as effective, reasonable and is very popular with supporters of all parties.”