Backlash After Ziggy Alberts' Face Mask Comments: 'Strips Australians Of Their Basic Rights'

Sunshine Coast artist Ziggy Alberts has faced a slew of backlash following controversial comments made about face masks being made mandatory in parts of Victorian from this Wednesday night. 

Alberts' comments came just hours after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that Victorian residents in the Melbourne Metropolitan and Mitchell Shire areas will be required to wear mandatory face masks when leaving the home from Wednesday night at 11.59pm. 

Alberts has taken to Instagram, saying in an Instastory that "I just want to say my heart is with you Victoria". 

"I'm in complete opposition of the governments decision to introduce mandated face masks in Melbourne when all it does is strips Australians of their basic rights in what is supposed to be a free society."

"There is so many ways to protect a minority of immune compromised citizen without mandating face masks or lockdowns," read the post. 

Read the full posts below (click to enlarge).

Reaction to Alberts' post was swift with many condemning the comments, including practicing doctor and musician Gordi.

Dear people who think having to wear a mask is robbing you of your “basic rights”.

You have clearly never experienced an actual infringement of your basic rights.

Just wear a mask. Don’t worry, you can still whisper your free-speech from beneath it.

— Gordi (@GordiMusic) July 19, 2020

There is no space for the spread of misguided and misinformed rhetoric suggesting that wearing a mask is a breach of your freedoms as a human being. That messaging is dangerous, has no basis in science or medicine and will not solve anything

— Alex Lahey (@AlexLahey) July 19, 2020

I don’t know what a Ziggy Alberts is but Sunshine Coast please come and collect your boy. Please! pic.twitter.com/wgt9ky3CD9

— Brendan 💫 (@macleanbrendan) July 19, 2020

And to end any further mention of third rate Jack Johnson Ziggy Alberts let us refer to musician and literal doctor, Gordi. https://t.co/e7hbnA5rWZ

— Brendan 💫 (@macleanbrendan) July 20, 2020

Alberts has since responded, see the post below.