Swapping Thorpe Park for Rosa Parks, some furious people have made an “embarrassing” and “mind-blowing” comparison after an 18-year-old was reportedly made to sit at the back of the rides at a theme park because she was ‘mask-exempt’.
The child’s mother, known only as Natasha, tweeted on Friday: “WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS. My 18-year-old at Thorpe Park today, mask exempt – had to ride at the back of the rides! Didn’t something similar happen years back on buses?!
“Segregation of non-masked at Thorpe Park disgusting SHAME ON YOU,” she added in a follow-up tweet.
The initial post appears to reference Rosa Parks, the American civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery in 1955 – in a challenge to racial segregation at the time.
The Surrey theme park later responded to Natasha and said: “In line with our ride restrictions, all our guests who are mask exempt are required to sit in the row farthest to the back to reduce the risk of air transmission aboard our attractions.”
Hi Natasha, in line with our ride restrictions, all our guests who are mask exempt are required to sit in the row farthest to the back to reduce the risk of air transmission aboard our attractions. If you do wish to discuss further, please pop us a DM - Dylan
— THORPE PARK Resort (@THORPEPARK) June 18, 2021
The park’s decision didn’t please some people, who no doubt thought it was unfair rather than funfair, and urged a boycott of the park.
One tweeted: “I remember learning about people being made to sit at the back of the bus because of the colour of their skin.”
“This is shocking @ThorpePark you are discriminating which is totally against The Equalities Act medical apartheid. You can expect sit-ins on your rides if this continues,” raged another.
Another added: “Reminds me of 1950’s America… back of the bus.”
Needless to say that racism and safety measures enforced to protect people during a deadly pandemic are pretty incomparable, and thankfully, many Twitter users were on hand to mock and shut down the nonsense.
So Thorpe Park has done this to create a safer environment for everyone and there are people in the quotes comparing the whole ordeal to racial injustice. Talking about Rosa Parks. ROSA PARKS. https://t.co/CMmIQ4uCSb
— Simply that, simply put. (@eaklooks) June 19, 2021
— Gareth Icke 🇵🇸 (@garethicke) June 18, 2021
Lmao this is right up there with the scotch egg nonsense
— Bronan (@MightyBronan) June 19, 2021
Yeh sure, creating a safer environment during a Global Pandemic and racial injustices are exactly the same thing.
— Mohammed Momeen (@abu_yaqoob17) June 19, 2021
Yeah, there's no way it could transmit from people screaming and shouting, while people behind them are directly moved into the space they just screamed and shouted in moments later.
— Steelcryo (@Steelcryo) June 19, 2021
Nope, no way at all, physics just doesn't support it...
Yes, please, everybody boycott Thorpe Park, so when I go in few weeks there’ll be no queues for the rides 🙌🏻🎢
— Si (@_SierraTango_) June 19, 2021
So Thorpe Park are asking medically except people who can’t wear masks to sit at the back of rides to make them as safe as possible… makes sense right? Well not to some people…SOME PEOPLE ARE REALLY COMPARING IT TO ROSA PARKS?! 🤣 Nahhh I’m done. 🤣 https://t.co/3GcdNosybk
— Jam 🏳️🌈 (@JustJamie101) June 19, 2021
It’s a different level of insanity to think your daughter is modern day Rosa parks because of a trip to Thorpe park 😭 https://t.co/clUGyNEv6C
— AT (@_annatx) June 19, 2021
You cannot compare the segregation of people of colour with those who can’t/won’t wear masks in the middle of a pandemic. That is so unbelievably wrong and disturbing.
— 🦹♀️💙Vicky💙🐘 (@DrRoppyRop) June 19, 2021
Thorpe Park won't let my toddler ride Stealth!!!
— Jake 🌞 (@Jakep010923) June 19, 2021
I'm having a full body cringe again.
— Paige Rose 🏳️🌈 (@GameOverRos) June 19, 2021
Thorpe Park has said that people who don't wear masks have to sit at the back of rides.
Some people are comparing this to Rosa Parks.
Please. Make it stop.
At least queue times on the Nemesis Inferno should be a little shorter now. Buzzing.
