Ontario anti-masker arrested at Moncton airport

An anti-mask activist from Ontario was arrested at the Greater Moncton  Roméo LeBlanc International Airport Friday and is now facing charges.

Christopher Saccoccia, who goes by the name Chris Sky on social media, posted a video to Facebook which he claims shows his arrest in Moncton.

In the video, Saccoccia can be seen holding what he claims to be a "note from a medical professional" in a verbal exchange with a WestJet flight attendant. 

Later in the footage, a police officer is pictured arriving inside the aircraft and telling Saccoccia he is under arrest for causing a disturbance. He is then escorted off the plane by RCMP.

RCMP in New Brunswick confirm a man was arrested at the airport Friday afternoon after arriving on a flight from Ontario.

Sgt. Jean-François Martel said members of the Codiac Regional RCMP responded to a report of "a disturbance" at the airport.

"After being released from police custody, RCMP and officials from the Department of Justice and the Department of Public Safety escorted him back to the Moncton airport, where he took a flight out of the Atlantic region," he said.

Martel would not confirm the individual's name but said a 37-year-old man from King City, Ont., is scheduled to appear in court to face charges on Jan. 25. He could not say what the charges are.  

Anyone entering Atlantic Canada from outside the region is required to self-isolate for 14 days. 

Saccoccia has attended several anti-mask demonstrations and spoken out against public health measures and was expected to attend anti-mask rallies in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia over the weekend.

Last week, he was charged with breaking federal quarantine rules after allegedly attending a demonstration with 500 mask-free people, less than two weeks after returning from an international trip. 

Friday was the first day non-medical face masks became mandatory in most indoor public places in New Brunswick.

Medical professionals point to strong evidence that non-medical face masks are highly effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19.