Anti-mask protester says ‘nobody has died from coronavirus’
An anti-mask protester has been charged over separate incidents allegedly encouraging people to go against public health mandates.
Yesterday, police charged alleged COVID conspiracy theorist Joe Mekhael over two organised incidents in Western Sydney earlier this month.
Police allege the Merrylands man held two protests at Parramatta Westfield on January 13 and 27, encouraging people not to wear masks while mandates were still in effect.
In footage, the 36-year-old can allegedly be heard chanting “The coronavirus is a complete fraud” and “I would rather be human than a slave”.
According to global figures, an estimated 2.2 million people have died from the virus — but when asked by 9News whether he thought he was risking public safety with his protests, Mr Mekhael said “Nobody has died from coronavirus”.
This is not the first time Mr Mekhael has faced charges for public disturbances, also being arrested for disrupting the city’s Anzac Day Dawn Service in 2017.
He is now facing two charges of breaching a public health order and while granted bail, Mr Mekhael says he still plans to continue protests despite being banned from Parramatta Westfield.