Dylan Bettencourt
When Shane Michael from Iowa in the United States was told to wear his face mask properly in a shop, he took mask rage to a new level.
After refusing, Michael followed the man who had asked him to wear a mask to his car.
There he beat his 42-year-old victim to the ground with blows to his eye and groin.
Then he spat in the victim’s face and said: “If I have it, you have it,” referring to Covid-19.
To add insult to injury, Michael claimed it was self-defence as he claimed the victim bit him and kneed him in the groin. In court, the victim admitted that he had done that but only to protect himself and to prevent further injury.
The wearing of a face mask to prevent the spread of Covid-19 has been a topic of fierce political debate in the United States of America. So far 26 States, including Iowa, have declared the use of a face mask as non-mandatory.
This incident is only one of many cases of violence in America regarding the use of a face mask.
In April this year, an Asian woman was assaulted for not wearing a face mask, with the perpetrator using a racial slur before punching the woman in the face.
Image source: @NewYorkPost
