BRUSSELS – BRUSSELS (AP) — Think about Hannibal Lecter, the psychopathic cannibal in the “Silence of The Lambs." Or Jason Voorhees, the hockey mask-wearing murderer in the “Friday the 13th" slasher film series.
Before the coronavirus outbreak abruptly disrupted the livelihoods of millions of people, the sight of masks worn in public spaces in the Western world conjured up images of malevolent clowns and terrifying fictional villains.
Even worse, in the streets of Paris, London or Brussels, mask-wearing — a long-accepted measure in some Asian cities — would often trigger unease and angst related to real-life traumatic bloodshed orchestrated by balaclava-led commandos from extremist groups.