Anti-mask protester slugs breast cancer patient outside LA hospital
Los Angeles, California – Anti-mask protesters brawled with a breast-cancer patient outside a Los Angeles hospital Thursday, with one anti-masker shoving and punching the woman.
The right-wingers swarmed Cedars-Sinai Breast Health Services to protest the hospital’s mask policy, Vice reported. Patient Kate Burns told them to go away.
"I’ve just gone through f***ing breast cancer," Burns said in footage captured by local videographer Vishal Singh. "And you motherf****** are here."
As the argument escalated, one protester shoved Burns and punched her multiple times.
Burns noted that chemotherapy treatments for cancer often weaken a person’s immune system, leaving them more vulnerable to Covid-19.
The anti-maskers didn’t seem to care.
Thursday’s protest was the second time anti-maskers rallied outside the breast cancer center in West Hollywood. One male right-winger reportedly sprayed several people with bear mace amid the back-and-forth.
Police later arrived and forced Burns and her backers to leave the scene, she said on Twitter.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has said he doesn’t support the county’s indoor mask mandate and won’t enforce it.
Cover photo: 123RF/oatautta