Woman cut by razor blade behind anti-mask poster

30 July 2021, 13:38 | Updated: 30 July 2021, 16:16

By Nick Hardinges

@NHardinges

A woman was left needing medical treatment after she was cut by a razor blade stuck on the back of an anti-mask poster.

Layla Stokes, 22, had her hand "messed up" while removing the misinformation flyer from a pedestrian crossing near the centre of Cardiff on Tuesday evening.

The poster - which reads, "Masks don't work... Masks - a visual prop to drive fear and prolong the 'pandemic'" - was one of many that she has taken down or covered up in the city.

Her cut was deep enough to require medical attention, with the 22-year-old needing to have her hand glued back together.

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South Wales Police (SWP) said they were informed of the incident at around 4pm on Wednesday and are in the early stages of an investigation.

Ms Stokes has since organised HIV and Hepatitis tests to "play it safe" as "blood-borne diseases scare" her.

She wrote on Twitter: "I'd love to know, which f****** decides to put razor blades behind stickers?

"Pulled this anti mask bull**** down on Canton high street, and absolutely mulched my hand.

"Thankfully, it's fixed now, but ouch!"

The 22-year-old later updated her followers, saying her hand is now okay after having it "cleaned and fixed".

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Undeterred, she posted on Twitter again on Thursday, claiming to have taken a further 270 stickers down around the Welsh capital.

She wrote: "Taking the p*** out of conspiracy stickerers!

"Took down or covered 270 of the b****** in Cardiff City Centre, replaced with a variety of funny stuff!

"No more blades too, which is reassuring :)"

A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: "On Wednesday afternoon a 21-year-old woman reported being cut by a razor blade found glued to the back of a poster.

"Her hand was cut while removing the poster from a pedestrian crossing in Cowbridge Road East, Canton, on Tuesday evening.

"Unfortunately the woman no longer has either the poster or the razor blade. Officers will be checking CCTV."