Florida Man Planning 'Million Maskless March', Mask Burning

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — A Florida man is calling for 1 million people to mark "one year of mask tyranny in Broward County" with a march in Fort Lauderdale.

The "Million Maskless March" will be held April 10 near Las Olas Beach in Fort Lauderdale. Organizer Chris Nelson wrote that the event will be a "celebration of freedom" and recognize those who have "faithfully endured" the county's mask mandate.

The protest, billed as a non-partisan event, will also include a mask burning, according to organizers.

Other organizers listed on the protest invite include Nelson's ReOpen South Florida, UnMasking America and the Libertarian Party of Broward County.

Nelson has held similar protests throughout South Florida, including one in Palm Beach County. He also was among a group of about three dozen protesters who defied Broward Fort Lauderdale’s July 4 beach closure in July 2020, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

ReOpen South Florida also was behind an anti-mask flash mob that took place at a Fort Lauderdale Target store last summer. Blaring Twisted Sister’s song, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” the group strolled into the store and ripped off their masks while encouraging others to do the same.

Twisted Sister's Dee Snider was not impressed, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Sharing a video to his Twitter that garnered millions of views, the singer called the stunt "moronic." Broward County also fined Target for not enforcing the mask law. Protesters received citations as well.

Sgt. DeAnna Greenlaw with Fort Lauderdale police told Patch the department has been notified about April 10 march and is monitoring the event.

"We do not have any concerns at this time," Greenlaw told Patch. "The organizer regularly holds these events and has always been cooperative with law enforcement."