Anti-Mask Protest at Tesco Supermarket

ANTI-MASK protestors do shopping together without face coverings at a Tesco supermarket.

A group of anti-mask protestors stormed a Tesco store, without face coverings, to do their shopping together.

The protest has been criticised by the council and NHS workers as videos shared on social media show a group of people together walking around the supermarket on Saturday in Chelmsford, Essex, without face masks.

The group can be seen smiling and chatting as they walk around the aisles and past a Tesco employee who is wearing a face mask.

A campaigning group run by frontline NHS workers, NHS Million, shared the footage writing: “This is a slap in the face to all NHS staff who have worked themselves into the ground and risked their own lives to keep people save [sic].”

More footage shows the group leaving the supermarket, with a song playing “don’t believe the propaganda on TV” with lyrics including “indoctrination camps” and a “depopulation plan.”

A female who is filming the scenes turns the camera onto herself and says: “34 today, whoop whoop!”

She shouts: “Come on warriors, woohoo!” as she continues to film the maskless group.

The video was shared on social media with the hashtags ‘#TakeOffYourMask #Chelmsford’ and a hands in the air emoji.

Police spoke to several customers who were not wearing face masks at the supermarket, police said, they claimed they are exempt from the rule.

It is currently illegal in England to enter a shop without a face covering, excluding those with health conditions and children under the age of 11.

A spokesman said Chelmsford City Council was “extremely disappointed to see that a small number of people chose to shop without masks.”

“Although lockdown restrictions eased slightly this week, it is extremely important that we all continue to stick to the rules in order to keep moving forward and avoid more people becoming ill or dying from Covid-19,” he added.

“This action risked the health of many others: both those who were in the shop at the time and others with whom those people have come into contact since. The incident was dealt with at the time by police and we are working with them and with the supermarket to review how this happened.

“Chelmsford has patiently borne restrictions over the past year and residents do not deserve to be let down now by a small, selfish group.”

A Tesco spokesperson has said: “To protect our customers and colleagues, we won’t let anyone into our stores who is not wearing a face-covering unless they are exempt in line with government guidance.”

They added that they have additional security to make sure people are adhering to the rules.

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