Speaker R.B. Ham talks to the Prince Albert Freedom Rally crowd on Saturday outside of the Queen's Bench Court House. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Hugs Over Masks

Anti-mask freedom rally held in Prince Albert

Apr 17, 2021 | 4:45 PM

At the Prince Albert Freedom Rally on Saturday about 14 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, a woman was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the words “Hugs Over Masks” in bright and bold lettering—and hugged everybody that wanted one.

She was one of about 100 people gathered outside of the Queen’s Bench Court House in Prince Albert, which is 10 times above the legal limit for outdoor gatherings in Saskatchewan. R.B. Ham, one of the event’s speakers, pointed that out in jest during his time on the microphone.

There was no physical distancing. Apart from one person holding a sign and another onlooker watching from a distance, nobody was wearing masks.

Ham said the fact freedom rallies have been held across the province is proof in itself the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t “a real pandemic.”

“If this is a real pandemic, this would not be happening,” Ham said. “There would be no people protesting against anything because it would be a self-fulfilling thing. Everybody would see it happening around them. Everybody would have somebody who was sick or died, and the government would be trying to calm everybody down.”

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Signs at the Prince Albert Freedom Rally on Saturday. (Jeff D’Andrea/paNOW Staff)

Organizer and speaker Darrell Mills said he’s been to around 10 rallies just like the one in Prince Albert, and does not believe anybody that attends them is at any risk.

“We just had one in Saskatoon, a gathering with 1,700 people, and nobody’s been sick,” Mills said. “It’s not our gatherings where people are sick, we’re not spreaders and none of us are sick. We’re all healthy. But people that are wearing masks all the time seem to be getting more sick. We don’t get tested because we aren’t sick.”

Mills has a demonstration during his talks, where he takes readings of people wearing masks to show the levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide. Mills believes people who wear masks breathe in excess carbon monoxide, and can impair them in some cases.

“What this shows is the person isn’t breathing breathable air. You’re breathing toxins. If you’re driving and wearing a mask, technically, you’re impaired with the levels you’ll be seeing.”

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW