Anti-mask protest at West Virginia capitol shut down

Charleston, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia capitol police shut down an anti-mask protest inside the state capitol on Thursday, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.

About a dozen people entered the capitol building without wearing face masks, going against an executive order that requires masks inside the building. Capitol police officers confronted the group in a hallway and blocked the protestors from proceeding, the newspaper reported.

A spokesman for the demonstrators, Roy Ramey, told the paper that he believed the mask requirement is unconstitutional. He wanted to speak with Gov. Jim Justice, who has pleaded with residents to wear masks and practice social distancing.

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