Law enforcement seized masks being mailed to protestors to keep them safe from catching the coronavirus. The masks read “Stop Killing Black People” and “Defund Police”.
What We Know:
- The shipment was seized on Thursday. It contained four packages of 2,000 masks which the Black Lives Matter affiliate group Movement for Black Lives ordered from Oakland, California. They were being sent to Minneapolis, where George Floyd died, New York City, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis.
- M4BL received an alert telling them to check with the United States Postal Inspection Service for information on why their packages were delayed.
- The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said he was “very concerned” that wearing masks and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was not sitting with the public. Not even 24 hours later, M4BL learned the news of authorities seizing the masks.
- As there have been many protests across the country due to the death of George Floyd, protestors have been advised that engaging in these protests can cause a second wave of the virus to spread sooner rather than later.
- M4BL said on Instagram, “We need these masks to keep ourselves safe. The pandemic together with the epidemic of police brutality has escalated the grave threat to Black lives and compounded suffering for Black families.”
According to Newsweek, as of Friday, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said the packages were sent back out after being inspected.
