Campaign against face masks reaches city – but organiser comes under fire

THIS Saturday, a protest will take place in Dundee against the mandatory wearing of face coverings.

How many people actually turn up remains to be seen, but one person who will be there is organiser Moira Brown, 52, from Broughty Ferry.

Ms Brown is planning to go out into the city centre every Saturday until the rules requiring people to wear a face mask are repealed. She will be handing out leaflets that read: “Say pants to muzzles.”

Ms Brown said: “People who are working are being forced to wear a muzzle over their nose and mouth for up to eight hours a day, it is barbaric.

“People with hidden disabilities are being harassed when they get on public transport without a mask on.

“We are being told we shouldn’t be travelling unless it is absolutely essential but that has been four months now and the hospitals are empty.

“The media is ramping up fear 24/7 on radio and television and the truth is very few people are in intensive care units – for months now, the number has been fewer than five in Tayside.

“Scotland is in a very serious situation – there is no scientific reason for restricting people’s breathing.

“As long as the coronavirus rules are in place there will be this barbaric legislation under the guise of public health.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said the last Covid-19 patient was discharged from ICU on June 26 – but stressed that does not mean the virus is not still circulating in the community. Four more people tested positive for coronavirus in Tayside yesterday.

Meanwhile, several medical professionals have posted videos disproving the myth pushed by anti-mask protesters that wearing a mask reduces your oxygen intake.

Nevertheless, Ms Brown believes the measure – designed to mitigate the spread of a novel virus with no vaccine – is a form of “fascism” and wants people to write to their MP about the lockdown measures.

“I am concerned about our civil liberties,” she added.

“These measures were supposed to be temporary but after four months these rules are still in place and not being repealed.

“In Melbourne they are testing perfectly healthy people and people’s homes are becoming prisons. If you are not worried, you should be – this is fascism.”

Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria, is currently back in lockdown after a spike in positive Covid-19 cases. The restrictions returned weeks after thousands of conspiracy theorists refused to be tested because they believe the pandemic is either a hoax or won’t affect them.

Iain Garthley, a survivor of coronavirus from Dundee, said: “It is unbelievable – they obviously have not had anyone close to them come down with Covid19 or die from it.

“To say these measures are barbaric is ridiculous. It is up to the mass of people to show what they think by not showing up and show them their support is insignificant.”

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said: “To be honest, I’m always reluctant to even give oxygen to some of this but the reality is it’s ridiculous.

“The measures that have been introduced across the world are intended to prevent further spread and ultimately protect Moira, her friends and family.

“They are not a solution, they are not 100% effective and nobody claims them to be. But they do mitigate.

“To compare it to Nazi Germany would be laughable if it wasn’t so ridiculous.

“It is absolute madness and I don’t think the vast majority of the Dundee public are going to pay any attention to that nonsensical conspiracy theory.”