THIS is the moment a “hero” wearing PPE steals an anti-mask protester’s sign and runs off with it.
The protester was left in disbelief after a lightning-fast assailant ran up and stole the placard out from her hands during the demonstration in Newcastle city centre
The moment was caught on camera on Saturday by 22-year-old Emma Cryer, who also captured the crowd’s jubilant reaction.
As the video begins, the protester is seen attempting to fix her sign to a preacher’s crucifix who is also attempting to speak to the crowd.
Suddenly, a woman dressed in white and wearing a mask emerges from the crowd and runs behind the pair.
She leaps up and grabs the sign, before stumbling backwards and nearly losing her balance.
She manages to recover and sprints down the street carting the sign with her.
As she darts off, the crowd behind her breaks into cheers and whistles.
Emma posted the incident to Twitter shortly afterwards, saying: “Lovely scenes in Newcastle at an anti-mask protest, credit to the girl who ran off with the sign.”
Twitter users largely praised the sign thief.
@MrPaulHampton wrote: “Brilliant, intercepting the ignorant.”
@stopbeingselfi1 commented: “See, you can run in a mask!”
@GTCPotter66 said: “Not all heroes wear capes but they do wear masks.”
Speaking today, Emma said: “They had a drum and stayed around for about an hour being loud.
“People did put masks on and stand around to try and stop them shouting that we shouldn’t wear masks.
“The woman putting her sign on the white cross was an anti-masker.
“I was pleased they ran off with the sign, I’ve never seen something so stupid, protesting against wearing a mask.
“We’re in a pandemic. Anything we can do to prevent the spread should be done.
Judging by the people walking past mocking, I think people think anti mask protests
are ridiculous.”
Emma added that the protester was left red-faced by the incident, she said: “She just tried to blend back in with the group of protesters, I think she was quite embarrassed her sign was stolen.”
Last week, Newcastle’s public health chief, Professor Eugene Milne warned that Newcastle was not in the clear, despite having a low R number.
Professor Milne said: “The people of Newcastle and the North East have done a tremendous job of bringing Covid-19 infection rates down through distancing and hygiene measures.”
“Transmission continues to remain low in the region, but we are by no means in the clear.”
