Maskless protesters entered multiple stores in Crystal Lake on Saturday protesting the state’s mask mandate after holding a roadside protest.
The rally was held on the corner of Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake around 12 p.m. Saturday.
Dozens of demonstrators held signs and American flags in front of the Wendy’s protesting Illinois’ mask mandates for schools and businesses.
Adults, and even children, held signs referencing “unmask the kids” and “unmask our children.”
“We will not be silent we will not be masked,” one protestor’s sign read.
A reporter with the Northwest Herald said on Twitter that a group of people, who were maskless, walked into several stores in Crystal Lake around 3:30 p.m. Saturday following the roadside protest.
The group entered Best Buy, Ross Dress for Less, TJ Maxx and Ulta Beauty to protest the state’s mask mandate, the Northwest Herald reported.
The group of people entered Steinhafels, a furniture store, but employees kicked them out for refusing to wear a mask.
Video from a Northwest Herald reporter showed the protesters chanting “USA, USA” on their way out of the store.
Employees at World Market refused to even let the protesters into their store and an argument took place at the entrance.
The store called the Crystal Lake Police Department, the Northwest Herald reported.
“We don’t have to do what [Gov.] Pritzker is trying to force us to do,” Joshua Alvarado of Rolling Meadows told the Northwest Herald. “He doesn’t have the authority to tell me what to do with myself.”
On August 14, a few dozen demonstrators gathered in Crystal Lake to protest Illinois’ mask mandate for schools.
That protest also took place on the corner of Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake.
“Free their faces, hearts and minds! They are our future! What are we teaching them?! Masks are child abuse!” one man’s sign read.
Some of the protesters took issue with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, saying “this mask is as useless as our governor” and another sign saying “fire Pritzker.”