Anti-mask protesters stormed a mall in Los Angeles to hit out at coronavirus restrictions in California.
The group streamed their protest as they walked into the Westfield Century Mall on Sunday.
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In clips shared on social media, the group can be heard shouting at those wearing masks as well as staff at the mall and making false claims about the virus - such as calling it a 'hoax' and saying it cannot be passed on if the person who has it is asymptomatic.
In other footage, the anti-maskers could be seen attempting to force open doors that were being held shut by staff.
Shiva Bagheri, who was part of the group and calls herself a 'freedom lover', shared a live stream on social media in which she said the virus was 'all about control, this has nothing to do with a deadly virus... because a mask does not protect you from a deadly virus'.
When one protester was offered a mask by a shopper who then warned the group they were 'all going to get sick', he replied: "We're not going to get sick, this is all a f***ing hoax."
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Reporter Emily Holshouser caught a verbal spat between a shopper and the group - where the group could be heard calling her a 'mask Nazi'.
The upset shopper told the group: "My father is in the hospital with Covid - because of you a** holes."
To which the anti-mask protester replies: "People die. That's life. Your father's not special."
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Mall worker Johnathan Cabrera told ABC7: "We see the protesters with the megaphones saying, 'no masks'. 'Take off the masks'. 'Open back up L.A.' 'All lives matter'."
Cabrera told the news outlet he was shocked when he saw the protesters and said he's rarely had run-ins with anti-maskers before.
He added: "I've had a few guests come in that say 'I really don't want to wear this', but we always encourage them for your safety, our safety, please wear your mask when you're shopping in our store."
A spokesperson for the LAPD told the Daily Mail no one was arrested but two battery reports were filled.
When asked why the cops didn't remove the protesters, the spokesperson said: "Officers were there to keep the peace and facilitate [the protesters']First Amendment rights."
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Samuel Braslow, a reporter from the Beverly Hills Courier, told ABC7: "They want to spread awareness of their message which is that masks, they say that masks are ineffective and Covid is part of a broader conspiracy.
"Obviously, the overwhelming scientific consensus contradicts that."
Featured Image Credit: Emily HolshouserTopics: Coronavirus, US News