‘We want our freedom back’: Handful of people protest face mask rules in Bluffton
A small group of protesters held signs and waved American flags at passing cars in Old Town Bluffton Tuesday morning to protest the town’s mandatory mask rules.
“NO MASK,” one sign read.
“YOUR LIBERTY MATTERS,” another said.
The unmasked protesters waved and smiled at passing drivers. Some honked or shouted in support.
At 8:30 a.m., the peaceful protest involved six people at the four-way intersection of May River Road and Boundary Street. The event was organized by the Bluffton chapter of the South Carolina Liberty Coalition — a Facebook page created on Sept. 4. There are no other references to a statewide group of that name online or in business filings with the S.C. Secretary of State.
“We want our town back,” the event’s Facebook page said. “We want our businesses to be successful again. We want our freedom back! Bring your signs!”
The protest, which lasted from 7 until 9 a.m., is part of a small, but vocal segment of the country fighting the use of masks in public despite the growing evidence that they help stop the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that masks reduce the spray of respiratory droplets when worn over the nose and mouth, but many viral videos of people refusing to wear them have been shared online.
A group called No Mask Required HHI has launched a website and petition with around 450 signatures advocating the removal of all mask requirements on Hilton Head Island. A similar petition in Bluffton has received about 150 signatures.
A Facebook post about the Bluffton protest shared by resident Danny Gause said 19 people were expected to attend. The post received over 150 comments as of Tuesday morning, with the majority of users saying they would not be attending the protest.
“Wearing a mask does not hurt businesses,” Facebook user Marli Ventura Roberson commented. “This is a ridiculous protest but you have a right as long as it is peaceful. I will not participate.”
In July, the town of Bluffton began requiring people to wear masks inside any buildings open to the public. It also requires employees of retail businesses, salons, grocery stores and pharmacies to wear face masks when near the general public or close to other employees. The ordinance, which was extended last month, expires on Nov. 1.
An electronic sign along May River Road urges people entering Old Town Bluffton to “Please wear a mask. It’s the law.”
Bluffton Police Department spokesperson Capt. Joe Babkiewicz said the department sent an officer to observe the protest Tuesday morning.
“We just watched it and and made sure they were maintaining proper social distancing,” he said. “They adhered to that, so there was no need for us to intervene.”
A second protest is scheduled at the same spot Tuesday afternoon from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
At 6 Tuesday night, Bluffton Town Council plans to consider extending parts of its COVID-19 emergency ordinance through Nov. 17.
The extension would allow council members to continue holding virtual meetings. It also would extend Town Manager Marc Orlando’s authority to enact certain policies and take “necessary action to protect the health, safety, and welfare of town residents, visitors, and employees and staff.”
COVID-19 cases in Beaufort County
State health officials reported one additional coronavirus-related death and 13 new COVID-19 cases in Beaufort County on Monday.
The deceased was the county’s 70th confirmed coronavirus-related fatality, according to S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control figures. DHEC data show 4,956 confirmed cases of the virus in Beaufort County since the pandemic began in March.
The county’s rolling seven-day average of newly reported cases climbed slightly this week to 31 cases per day. That figure declined sharply during the month of August.
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,216 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 979 cases since March, the second-highest in the county.
