An Omaha group that opposes masks funded two short-lived billboards in the Millard area and informally made plans for a protest this weekend at a southwest Omaha Hy-Vee.
But the billboards have been taken down and a co-founder of the group said he is discouraging the members from participating in the Hy-Vee event.
Kelly Jensen, a self-employed businessman who splits his time between Lincoln and Omaha, said both “No Mask Omaha” and “No Mask Lincoln” have seen a surge in support in recent days.
Some members of the group had planned to shop together without masks Saturday at an Omaha Hy-Vee.
Thursday, the grocery chain said it is working with the Omaha Police Department to block the protest.
“We will not allow the event to take place,” the company said in a statement.
Omaha police said they will have officers at the store and will issue citations if people attempt to violate the city’s mask ordinance.
If Omaha police do issue a citation, it will be a first in terms of enforcing the mask mandate in Omaha, said Phil Anson, a department spokesman.
The anti-mask efforts are taking place as the Omaha City Council this week extended the city mask mandate until Feb. 23. Jensen said his group is still planning a large event in the near future, and 11,000 people have joined the groups’ Facebook pages.
The billboards were intended to send a message to city officials prior to Tuesday’s council vote. Both were taken down by the billboard company Wednesday following public criticism.
One of the billboards, which was erected Monday, featured a crash-test dummy wearing a mask inscribed “comply.” Next to it, in large type, was: “It’s not about a virus! It’s about control!”
“We were trying to show them that our voices can’t be silenced,” Jensen said. “There are two sides to the story, and they only want to listen to UNMC.”
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is home to an internationally known bioterrorism center and a number of infectious disease specialists.
Jensen said he knows that COVID-19 is spiking, but he doesn’t believe that face masks work.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says study after study supports the effectiveness of masks.
Jensen said he doesn’t wear a mask including when shopping or visiting other public places, even though masks are required by Omaha ordinance. He says he believes he contracted COVID-19 this fall. The day after Halloween, he became ill and lost his sense of taste and smell.