More than a year into a pandemic that has claimed 523,000 lives in the United States, right-wing protesters in Idaho, including a handful of elected officials, set their masks on fire Saturday, claiming face coverings stifle their personal liberties.
via: Complex
About 150 people gathered outside the Idaho Capitol on Saturday to stage one of many “Burn the Mask” rallies.
Reporter Sergio Olmos shared photos and videos from the demonstration held in Boise, which is one of the Idaho cities that currently requires mask-wearing in public. Attendees were seen at the steps of the Statehouse throwing disposable surgical masks into flaming metal barrels. Some of the rally-goers were accompanied by their children, who were encouraged to participate in the mask-burning—that is, until local authorities intervened and demanded the fires be extinguished.
Parents encouraging kids to burn masks on Idaho Capitol steps pic.twitter.com/VOYfOYqwwt
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
Organizers say there are 20 other cities in Idaho holding “burn the mask” demonstrations pic.twitter.com/TnbND2H2SN
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
Parents and children burning masks on the Idaho Capitol steps pic.twitter.com/YUdORarvX6
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
Darr Moon, the husband of Idaho Rep. Dorthy Moon, shared a few words about the statewide rallies, explaining the general message behind the demonstration, which he referred to as a “rally” rather than a protest.
“We’re standing here to rein back government, to re-establish our Republican form of government—a government that has balance between the branches,” Moonn told Olmos. “We are [of the belief] that we need a well-defined government with certain boundaries, and that’s not what we have today. Our governor is appropriating money and pretty much running the show in Idaho.”
Darr Moon, of the organizers of “burn the mask” says this is a rally not a protest
(He is married to Idaho state rep. Dorthy Moon) pic.twitter.com/g6oT4HifII
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
Federal, state, and local officials have continued to emphasize mask-wearing as an easy and effective way to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. A number of states and cities have implemented mask mandates at the advice of top health experts. However, several states, such as Texas and Mississippi, recently rescinded their statewide mask requirements, citing the decreasing number of virus-related hospitalizations and the growing number of vaccinations.
Organizer leads the crowd in pledge of allegiance at “burn the mask” protest on Capitol steps of Idaho pic.twitter.com/F7N7M0oqaQ
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
President Joe Biden slammed the governors of Texas and Mississippi over their decisions to end their statewide mask mandates, calling it a result of “Neanderthal thinking.” At one point during Saturday’s Boise rally, a demonstrator was seen throwing a photo of Biden into a fire, as onlooker can be heard saying, “It’s a symbolic burning.”
Anti-lockdown Protestor burns “sleepy joe” photo on Idaho Capitol steps pic.twitter.com/M7jVffLCna
— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) March 6, 2021
According to the New York Times, Idaho has tallied more than 173 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 1,800 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
They want to be opposed so bad, bless their heart.
