July 13, 2020

Since consequences for these sort of selfish actions are rarely enforced, it's probably safe to assume we'll see more of such protests, not less.

Source: Reuters

Anti-mask activists organized a protest on Saturday at a grilled cheese restaurant and bar in Windermere, Florida, which is in Orange County about 12 miles (19 km) from Walt Disney World.

The restaurant, 33 & Melt, has become a focal point of tension after owner Carrie Hudson said she was not requiring customers to wear masks. County officials have mandated the use of masks in public since June 20.

During Saturday’s protest, no customers wore face coverings inside the restaurant. Agents from the state’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco arrived during the rally and served Hudson with a warning, according to a video.

“This is a virus that is very well contained,” said one of the demonstrators, anti-mask activist Tara Hill. “Everyone is responsible for their own health care decisions … We want our choices respected as well.”

In addition to a record 15,000 new cases on Sunday, more than four dozen hospitals in Florida reported that their intensive care units are full due to a surge in COVID-19 patients.

carrie

Officers from Florida’s Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (ABT) Bureau of Law Enforcement meet with Carrie Hudson (C) the owner of 33 & Melt restaurant during the reopen Florida “maskless” rally and dinner held at her restaurant to protest mandatory face mask restrictions during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Windermere, Florida, U.S. July 11, 2020. OCTAVIO JONES/Reuters

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