A council has faced backlash over an ‘inappropriate’ facemask campaign telling residents ‘don’t be a D*CK, mask up’.
Lancashire County Council posted the controversial post on Thursday morning highlighting Government rules around face coverings and warning of a £100 fine for non-conformity.
Furious locals hit out at the ‘inappropriate’ post which they claimed referred to people refusing to wear face masks as ‘d****’.
Council wrote in a Facebook post: “Meet Richard!” Richard doesn’t want to wear a mask, even though it’s the law.
‘Richard thinks he knows best, but as well as being wrong, he’s now £100 out of pocket.
‘Don’t be a D***. Do your bit & mask up… it’s cheaper.’
The campaign seemed to reduce Richard’s name as an ironic play-on words. However, Facebook users furious believed that they were calling out exempt residents offensive terms.
Lancashire County Council posted the controversial post (pictured) on Thursday morning highlighting Government rules around face coverings and warning of a £100 fine for non-conformity
Lancashire County Council (pictured) attempted to clarify its position, noting it was aiming the post at people who ‘don’t want to wear a mask, not those who can’t’, though this was not written in the original post
Lancashire County Council attempted to clarify its position, noting it was aiming the post at people who ‘don’t want to wear a mask, not those who can’t’, though this was not written in the original post.
The council said: ‘We’re not threatening disabled people at all Mark. This is about people who don’t want to wear a mask (even though it’s the law), not those who can’t.
‘We’re calling out people who are selfish. Lots of people who can’t wear a mask have a health condition that makes them more vulnerable to Covid.
‘If all those who can wear a mask do as they should and wear one, it helps protect more vulnerable people who can’t.’
Despite attempts to placate angry followers, the social media team were slammed as ‘utterly disgraceful’ and ‘patronising’.
Mark Ross stated that this was a disgusting statement from a public agency. Threatening the disabled who can’t wear masks and calling people who exercise their right to free choice d****. Who was the numbskull at the council who came up this idea?
Martin Young said: ‘So you’re saying people that don’t wear masks are ‘d****’! I know people that can’t wear them because of hidden disabilities so are they d**** too, because you Lancashire County Council have just branded them and others like those.’
Jessica Louise Murray stated: “Lancashire County Council so Many People Follow Your Page, even Children.
‘Yet Lancashire County Council use inappropriate language and are basically calling us d*cks if we don’t wear a mask. It’s childish and not professional at all.’
Richard Dyer said that the problem is that Richard Dyer’s bullying for having a surname that could be abbreviated has turned into an absolutely pathetic campaign by local authorities.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: ‘This is about calling out selfish people who just don’t want to wear a mask even though it’s the law.
‘Ignoring this simple measure puts people at risk, not least those who can’t wear a mask for medical or other reasons.
‘It’s part of a wider campaign of positive messages encouraging Lancashire people to work together to combat Covid-19.
‘Its aim is to provoke debate and encourage people to mask up, but it’s certainly not our intention to offend anyone.’