Handful of unmasked people disrupts Boston City Council meeting

City Council President Ed Flynn spoke to Boston residents who refused to wear masks at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, forcing the second half of the meeting to reconvene on Zoom at Boston City Hall.Matthew J Lee/Globe staff

A handful of people who refused to don masks at City Hall disrupted a Boston City Council meeting Wednesday afternoon.

In the middle of the meeting, the group of about a half-dozen people were asked by newly minted Council President Ed Flynn to don masks, which are required in City Hall amid the COVID-19 pandemic. When they refused, Flynn called a recess.

Flynn walked over to the group, seated in the first row of the gallery, to try to reason with them, but they continued to heckle him. City Clerk Maureen Feeney and Councilor Frank Baker also spoke with the unmasked people, who continued to gripe about the city’s handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, including the city’s vaccination mandate.

During the recess, the councilors filtered into their offices and the meeting was eventually re-started virtually via Zoom.

Police responded to the chamber, and after a short time the unmasked people left the room, escorted by officers.

It’s the latest instance of civil disobedience against how the city has handled the virus. Protesters have demonstrated against Mayor Michelle Wu both at City Hall events and at her Roslindale home.