Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of the nation’s most prominent opponents of coronavirus restrictions, lashed out at a group of students attending a cybersecurity event for wearing face coverings on Wednesday.
“You do not have to wear those masks,” DeSantis said as he approached the students, who were to stand behind the podium at which he was to deliver his remarks.
“I mean, please take them off,” he told them directly, finger pointed. “Honestly, it’s not doing anything. And we gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.”
The scene was captured by Evan Donovan, a reporter for local news station WFLA.