Punter 'became disruptive' when asked to cover up

Police were called to escort a man from Adam Kay's stand-up gig because he refused to wear a mask properly.
 
Despite the show describing the almost intolerable conditions NHS staff often work under, even before Covid, the audience member refused to cover his mouth and nose.
 
Other theatre-goers asked him to mask up, but he ‘became extremely disruptive’ and police were called. 
 
He was arrested for causing a breach of the peace, but later de-arrested after officers spoke to him, the BBC reports.
 
Doctor-turned-comedian and author Kay took to Twitter to thank the wonderful staff’’ at the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, for handling the disturbance.
 
He wrote: ‘During the show, a man was proudly wearing his mask around his chin and, when asked by multiple people to wear it more appropriately, became extremely disruptive and rude to theatre staff, to the extent that the show became badly affected
 
‘He told theatre staff that they'd have to call the police to stop his disruptive behaviour, which they eventually had no option but to do. He asked me repeatedly to, "Watch the videos of Neil Oliver", which I won't.’
 
Oliver - a TV archaeologist - believes masks do not make any difference and that wearing one is ‘just a badge that says I'm a good person and I'm complying with the rules’.
 
The Rose Theatre told the BBC that police escorted a man from the show, The Nightshift Before Christmas, this week because ‘he was being disruptive and because he was not wearing a mask, which is now mandatory’
 
Kay added: ‘If you're loud and disruptive in a theatre show then unfortunately you'll get booted out, whatever you're shouting about.’
 
But fellow comic Abi Roberts, an antivaxxer who refuses to take Covid tests, called him a ‘fascist prick’.
 

Published: 18 Dec 2021