Arizona Anti-Maskers Parade Through Wal-Mart and Target Stores

A group of anti-mask protesters made their way into Arizona retail chains where they protested COVID-19 regulations and restrictions, including wearing a mask.

A video of the group of about 20 people protesting lockdowns and mask mandates was shared on Twitter by freelance reporter and activist @DaveNewWorld_2, who frequently posts videos of anti-mask protesters, police brutality and scuffles with far-right organizations.

The video shows two clips. The first appears to show protesters walking through a Wal-Mart, but the latter part appears to have been filmed in front of a fast-food counter at a Target.

One of the signs visible in the short video, appears to say "End A1 Mask Mandate," but that's the clearest message that these protesters seem to have. Other signs say things like "Masks=666," implying masks are Satanic, or "Love your smile" with "Saving face" on the opposite side. These people clearly don't know how to smile with their eyes.

Some of the protesters in the clip can be heard singing "We're Not Gonna Take It," by '80s hard rock band Twisted Sister. As previously reported, members of the band have disavowed anti-maskers singing their song.

Chants of "Free your face" can also be heard in the first clip from the video. In the second part, people also shout things like "This is America," and "You don't have to wear a mask, it's not a law." A few protesters also appear to be wearing festive holiday attire, although Santa would likely put them on the naughty list.

Many people criticized the protesters for their blatant disregard for others' health. One person responded to the video, showing a screengrab of someone who appears to be a security guard wearing a mask following them out, noting that none of the people seemed to want to mess with the large gentleman.

Other people mocked the group, calling them Karens. One person came up with a strong analogy to critique them. "This is like marching through a McDonalds with dirty bare feet and then spitting in the fries, filming yourself as you go and declaring it an act of patriotism," he wrote.

When asked for comment Target directed Newsweek to its "coronavirus response" page, which lists steps that the retail chain is taking to help prevent the spread of the virus. On the page, people can click the various precautions for more information. Besides reminding to social distance, increase cleaning and more, masks are also made available and required by the store. "We require guests to wear masks or face coverings in all of our stores, except for guests with underlying medical conditions and young children. We also require all store team members to wear masks at work and have provided them with reusable and disposable masks," an FAQ on the Target website says.

Newsweek reached out to Wal-Mart for comment via a media contact form, but did not receive a response in time for publication.