SHOPPERS joined together to stage a 'mass unmasked event' at a Weymouth supermarket - with the organiser claiming she does not think face coverings protect people against coronavirus.

Sofie Collette, 44, lives in Beaminster and is a self-employed holistic therapist. She left her previous job at a beauty salon because she refused to wear a face covering for medical reasons.

She organised a 'mass unmasked shopping event' in Asda in Weymouth on Sunday, October 25. She said between 12 and 15 people showed up for the event.

"What we tried to do with our little shopping trip is show people that it's absolutely fine to go out without wearing a mask," she said.

"Some people don't have enough confidence to do it on their own sometimes because they are bullied and yelled at and ridiculed by other people. What gives them the right to say what we should do and police us? It is like World War Two with people policing each other.

"There are people that have been talking on social media, like-minded people who have agreed from the beginning that wearing a mask is not helpful in any way. Even the government and other countries from the start were saying to not wear masks.

"There's a lot of evidence that the masks are full of bacteria and causing more problems. People are wearing these and breathing in toxic germs.

"There are people that are exempt from wearing a mask. I have a lot of reasons why you shouldn't wear a mask.

"People give away their freedoms, like with the lockdown which was a voluntary lockdown, it's not healthy. People don't question anything and go like sheep."

In a post on Facebook, advertising the event, one of the organisers said: "It wasn’t a protest but a support in numbers for people that struggle to shop maskless for whatever reason. We didn’t go in en masse, we were in small groups of two or three. We met outside before and after for a catch-up and networking.

"It was lovely and we’re planning more in other supermarkets around Dorset each weekend."

Asda refused to comment.