Anti-maskers march in Cornwall

A woman hollars 'freedom' as an anti-mask protest of between 60 and 70 people makes its way down Pitt Street in Cornwall, Ont. on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston)

CORNWALL – Roughly 60-70 people marched down Pitt Street in Cornwall to protest the mandatory wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces.

People gathered outside the Eastern Ontario Health Unit offices at 2 p.m. and then started the “Freedom March Cornwall” around 2:35 p.m. According to the Facebook event posting, the group billed itself as a “rights-based natural health justice group.”

Many carried placards with slogans such as “lockdowns and restrictions are causing more harm than the virus” and “love over fear.”

Led by the Cornwall Police Service and a man on a e-bike, the crowd made its way to Lamoureux Park shouting “freedom” along the way.

While the crowd garnered some sporadic honks from motorists on Pitt Street, not everyone was in agreement. “Wear your mask,” someone shouted from a passing car.

Click on a thumbnail below to open a gallery of pictures from the protest.