Mask opponents protest outside mayor’s home while people around Wichita go maskless

Several people protested outside of Mayor Brandon Whipple’s home Saturday against Wichita’s new mask mandate.

The Wichita City Council voted 4-3 Friday to require masks in public, after Sedgwick County commissioners decided Thursday not to follow Gov. Laura Kelly’s statewide mask mandate. The Wichita vote came after Whipple called a special meeting.

The ordinance requires people to wear masks in public places where 6-foot social distancing cannot be met. Businesses must also require their employees and customers to wear masks. There are several exemptions.

The roughly eight protesters didn’t wear masks.

Elsewhere around town Saturday, some other people weren’t wearing masks, either.

At a Kwik Shop a few blocks from Whipple’s home, 2 of 12 people wore a mask. Only one of two employees inside wore a mask, and the one who did had the mask down while she sorted the register. She pulled it up when a customer came up.

She said she couldn’t force customers to wear masks and the employee not wearing a mask was her boss.

The two people who wore a mask were both elderly men.

At a QuikTrip near downtown, 3 of 10 people wore a mask. All of the employees wore a mask, including the two armed guards.

No one was told they needed to wear a mask even though the law now requires businesses to make their customers wear a mask. No one enforced the law either at a Dillons on Douglas where a quick count showed 14 of 33, or about 42%, wore a mask.

At Whipple’s home, three Wichita officers stood near the protesters.

The group didn’t meet the 6-feet social distancing guideline, which means they could receive a $25 fine.

“... At this time we are choosing education over enforcement. Especially because it is a new ordinance,” Sgt. Brian Mock said.

Mock said they were there to make sure protesters could safely express their opinion while respecting Whipple’s property.

Whipple had a cooler with drinks near the curb and a sign that said: “Welcome everyone to our house. Feel free to take the drinks & stay hydrated! Have a happy & healthy 4th of July! - The Whipple’s (sic).”

Dan Chase, 24, organized the Facebook event called We Will Not Comply.

“The mask is nothing. It’s not going to protect you,” Chase said. “This is about conditioning the people to give up their liberty for safety.”

Chase said he didn’t believe testimony from the health officials who spoke during Friday’s meeting.

Roughly 10 health officials said masks need to be worn to prevent a second shutdown, lessen deaths and keep hospitals from being overrun. The officials have influence over the care of everyone in Sedgwick County and included the president of county’s medical society, a surgeon and an infectious disease doctor.

The officials said a recommendation wouldn’t work, that masks had to be mandated, and pointed to the rising number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations as evidence.

Some of the protesters said they thought the COVID-19 cases and deaths were being embellished by health officials, and they all agreed wearing masks should be voluntary. One person had a Kris Kobach sticker on her shirt, another wore a Donald Trump T-shirt and a couple held signs.

“You’ve got no right to take our rights!” one sign said.

Wichita police Sgt. Brian Mock said mask complaints should be made to police stations during normal business hours or to City Hall at 316-268-4111.

This story was originally published July 4, 2020 at 4:16 PM.