This past Friday, an event involving a man being carried by numerous police officers from a public transit vehicle was recorded after he refused to exit the public bus for not wearing a face mask. This took place after the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority issued a policy which stated, "SEPTA is now asking all riders to wear masks or other facial coverings, consistent with new CDC guidelines, to protect both riders and operators". Although this passenger may have involuntarily left the public bus, he had been previously requested to leave the vehicle numerous times by both the SEPTA bus driver and the Philadelphia Police Department Officers. After not following the requests of the bus driver or the officers to exit the vehicle in order to no longer put the passengers' and bus driver's lives at risk, the officers were forced to resort to the option of physically dragging him out.
This incident resulted in a great deal of outrage online, resulting in the removal of the requirement for face masks to be worn on public transit by SEPTA. Personally, I believe that the actions portrayed by the officers were with the intent to save the lives of the passengers and drivers which is why I believe they were not in the wrong. Although this passengers actions may not have seemed deadly due to the fact he is not carrying a weapon for example, he still was putting others lives at risk and refusing to follow the orders of the police and the requests of the driver. While being dragged out of the bus, he was recorded cursing and resisting, demonstrating his unwillingness to comply.
Yes, the police may have been aggressive and could even be described as violent in their actions, though if everyone refuses to follow requests and orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus we may have to wait much longer to see an end to this pandemic. More lives will be at risk and in result more deaths and cases will occur over time. We must all do our job and cooperate in order to minimize the risk we are all in.
I agree I think it is necessary for the face mask rule to stay put. The rest of the people shouldn't be punished because this man is choosing to be selfish. He obviously doesn't care about the lives of others. It would be one thing for him to walk on the bus, but to refuse to leave from multiple people including cops is rude. He should have had a bigger punishment that didn't result in taking away this rule. I know it is inconvenient to wear the mask or to find one, but my family has been making them and it isn't too hard.
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