Tito Ortiz barred from city council meeting over refusal to wear mask

The former UFC light heavyweight champion continues to refuse to adhere to basic health and safety measures in the middle of a pandemic.

Tito Ortiz really really doesn’t want to wear a mask, even if it’s just for a city council meeting.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has been firm in his stance against masks and vaccines during this COVID-19 pandemic, such that he’s had multiple confrontations and other incidents throughout his very brief period as a member of Huntington Beach’s city council.

Well Tito isn’t going to change any time soon, and in this video he revealed to his social media followers that he cannot physically attend the city’s meeting at the Huntington Beach Library. Instead of just wearing a damn mask, he’ll have to do the meeting virtually through a Zoom call. (H/T Borrachinha Depot)

“Welp, we have our first workshop here for Huntington Beach City Council and we’re doing it at Huntington Beach Library,” Ortiz said. “I go in for the meeting and [Mayor] Kim Carr says you can’t come in without a mask. Now I’ve gotta do it from Zoom. Great way to start the New Year off. Embarrassing.”

Embarrassing, indeed. Probably not for the reasons he believes it to be, but nevertheless embarrassing.

Ortiz isn’t even the only one on the council with anti-mask views. This is from just a few weeks ago:

City Hall employees express discomfort with elected officials who don’t adhere to the mask mandate inside the building. Councilman Erik Peterson has not worn a mask on the dais throughout the pandemic. Now he is joined by Mayor Pro Tem Ortiz.

Mayor Kim Carr suggests that council members who do not wish to wear masks during meetings may participate remotely via Zoom.

In an interview, Ortiz said he would not be taking her up on that option: “It’s against my constitutional rights.”

I don’t think anyone could’ve expected anything different when it was confirmed that Tito would be an elected official.