An anti-mask protest took place in Montreal on Wednesday, with hundreds of people rallying in Lafontaine Park to protest against Quebec's mandate on face coverings.

Maskless protestors sang, danced and hugged, ignoring all physical distancing guidelines.

#New Almost 1,000 anti-mask demonstrators gathered to protest at La Fontaine park in Montreal at the same time as Premier Legault announced new policing powers to make sure COVID-19 measures are adhered to.
Photo credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson pic.twitter.com/WdZ4X7mYnJ

— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) October 1, 2020

Demonstrators condemned government regulations and attacked the "propaganda" circulated by the media.

Multiple speakers questioned public health mandates on mask wearing and physical distancing, with several people also announcing that they would refuse to take a COVID-19 vaccine.

C’est la fin de la manifestation des opposants au masque. Les manifestants prennent quelques photos avant de quitter le terrain. pic.twitter.com/XmqkncWN0U

— Améli Pineda (@Ameli9) September 30, 2020

Trump and American flags appeared alongside flags of the Front de Libération du Quebec, the separatist and terrorist paramilitary group behind the 1970 October Crisis.

Lots of “freedom” signs, Quebec flags, American flags and anti media signs here this evening. The general message from these people is that they are sick of being lied to and they refuse to live in fear. #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/ayk90BuzkH

— Elizabeth Zogalis (@EZogalis) September 30, 2020

On Wednesday, Premier Francois Legault announced steep fines for violating public health regulations just hours before the protest took place.

In Montreal, which has recently been re-designated a COVID-19 red zone, people who refuse to wear masks in public spaces now face fines up to $1,000.

Quelques centaines de manifestants contre le port du masque au parc Lafontaine ce soir. Ils entendent déchirer les contraventions données par les policiers.@tvanouvelles pic.twitter.com/QrIjolXLPD

— Yves Poirier (@poirieryvesTVA) September 30, 2020

This isn't the first anti-mask protest that's taken place in Montreal; demonstrators have been active since July.

@realDonaldTrump #Montreal #QC #antimask #march today & look at the signs there in support for YOU! ❤️❤️❤️#Trump2020 #Trump pic.twitter.com/ZrC1YneCzh

— Stephanie Quanel (@StephanieQuanel) September 12, 2020

Quebec political officials seem to be growing increasingly frustrated with the anti-mask protests in light of the surging COVID-19 case numbers across the province.

On Sept. 29, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante had sharp words for anti-maskers in the city during a televised interview.

"Go protest in a potato field," she told demonstrators.