Hundreds march on Hyde Park to protest against face masks

HUNDREDS of protesters descended on central London to protest against the Government’s rules on face masks.

The demonstration in Hyde Park came ahead of face coverings becoming mandatory in shops and supermarkets from Friday, just as they are already on public transport.

One man wore a ripped mask while another held a sign vowing he would ‘not be masked, tested, tracked or poisoned’ because of the pandemic.

Another protester joining the march from Speaker’s Corner to Marble Arch donned a plague doctor mask with its distinctive black beak, worn by clinicians in the fourteenth century treating patients with the Black Death. The protesters did not appear to be observing social distancing rules.

The march against ministers’ decision to make masks in mandatory in shops was organised by campaign Keep Britain Free, founded by aviation tycoon Simon Dolan.

Mr Dolan, who is estimated to be worth around £200million, recently lost a High Court bid to overturn the Government’s lockdown restrictions.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that patients with no underlying conditions are asking doctors to write them a ‘sick note’ so they don’t have to wear face masks. GPs say their workload has increased due to spurious inquiries from people who do not want to comply with the new rules.

Dr Farrah Sheikh, a GP from Cheshire, told BBC Radio 5 live: ‘We’ve noticed a significant increase in people who don’t have any underlying medical problems requesting these exemption notes.

‘It’s not just my surgery, I know that this has been happening across the country... it’s not something that we are used to and it’s not something that we are going to be able to provide.’ Government guidance says there is no need to obtain a sick note if you have a disability or illness that means you cannot wear a mask.