A police officer was documented Sunday morning enforcing mask-wearing regulations while wearing a mask that covered only his chin.
This happened to me, Arutz Sheva correspondent Yehonatan Gottleib, author of this story.
This morning I took a bus from the center of Jerusalem when a police officer boarded the bus to enforce the guidelines stating that all passengers must wear a mask.
The officer noticed that I was wearing my mask in such a manner that it covered only my chin, he took me off the bus to write up a fine against me.
The officer wrote: "During a check of a bus to enforce the wearing of masks, I boarded the bus and I noticed the aforementioned passenger who was sitting with his mask under his chin and not even covering his mouth and nose. The nature of the offense was explained to him. I took the passenger off the bus and wrote a report against him." The policeman even added my response in the designated place, which simply reads: "You're right."
Immediately after the report was written, I noticed one of the police officers answering his phone while walking around the bus station while his face mask covered only his chin. Even while the report was being written, this officer neglected to properly cover his face.
It is important for me to state: I will happily pay the fine. Indeed, as noted in the report, I have committed an offense for "failure to wear a mask according to sections 2A + 3E (a) of the Emergency Public Health Regulations, 5720-2020."
It is upsetting and disappointing to see a police officer, while he is enforcing the wearing of masks and even writing reports against violators, who feels no obligation to obey the law himself.
The Israel Police said in response: "Police officers enforcing the Health Ministry's instructions noticed a reporter sitting in a bus while not wearing a mask and surrounded by other passengers. After he admitted the offense to the police and requested that the officer not file a report considering his situation, the substance of the offense was explained to him and a report was filed against him. In regards to the reporter's claims about the manner of enforcement, they can be directed to the relevant authorities."