A PASSENGER was left angry and humiliated after being dragged off a bus by cops when the driver complained he was not wearing a face mask.

The bus driver, who himself was not wearing a mask, had ordered the passenger to leave the bus in Philadelphia on Friday as he did not have a face mask on - but the man refused.

2 A passenger was filmed being dragged off a bus by cops apparently for not wearing a face mask

2 The man was carried out of the bus after officers snatched his legs off the ground

The "rule" had been put up as an unenforceable suggestion on the SEPTA website just the night before, leaving most passengers completely unaware.

The Philadelphia city transit system SEPTA has since said it would no longer enforce their short-lived policy requiring passengers to wear a facemask during the coronavirus pandemic.

The degrading incident took place on a Route 23 bus at 11th and Market just before 8.30am on Friday.

It was filmed in two clips shared by the Philly Transit Riders Union.

The first video shared by the union shows a SEPTA supervisor enforcing rules about wearing masks while not following them.

The SEPTA supervisor declares on the packed bus: "If you do not have a mask you can not ride public transportation."

This is not true as it was an unenforceable guideline.

He then proceeds to call out various bus passengers, instructing them to get off the bus before he has to call the cops.

One of the men he tells to get off is wearing what looks to be a cloth over his face but the SEPTA supervisor tells him that is not enough and demands he gets off.

Things rapidly escalated as the driver called the cops.

Officers start by dragging the man's leg out of the bus Credit: @PhillyTRU

He is heard screaming at them to let his legs go so he can use them at this point Credit: @PhillyTRU

Ten city police officers then triggered a public outcry when they forcibly dragged and carried the man off the bus because he wasn’t wearing a mask.

In the video, the unidentified man resists while officers rough him up and grab his legs and arms, making it impossible for him to walk.

Several officers can be seen yanking the man from the bus as he screams for them to let him go, throwing his cellphone and other possessions to the ground.

He asks why he’s being removed and swears at the officers, who eventually get him out and hold him briefly against the side of the bus.

They then drag him out of the bus, throwing his things on the floor and pin him against the vehicle Credit: @PhillyTRU

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority abandoned its mandatory mask policy Friday the video went viral Credit: @PhillyTRU

The man was not given a citation or arrested, however his ordeal was filmed and the tape went viral.

SEPTA said the incident was under investigation and city and police officials were quick to say that police officers were not enforcing the mask policy, even though that was the driver's complaint.

City police said that their officers were actually enforcing the bus driver’s order for the unidentified man to get off the bus, according to NBC Philadelphia.

Officer Tanya Little with the Philadelphia Police Department: "Philadelphia Police Department Officers arrived, and after being made aware of the driver's request, also ordered the male to leave the bus several times.

"The male refused, at which point he was physically removed by the officers."

The Philly Transit Riders Union shared a photo that they suggested was a message bus drivers had received regarding masks.

It tells them that passengers do not have to have masks in order to ride the bus.

They released a statement condemning the activity on the videos.

"Under normal conditions, conflicting messages from SEPTA management might only cost riders their time– missed birthdays, graduations, job interviews, doctor’s appointments."

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, an interaction with an armed police officer could cost a Philly transit rider their life. The Philadelphia Police Department began limiting contact with the public on March 17th.

"Was this interaction necessary? This response indicates that harassment and profiling will be used to determine who is allowed to use public transit and who is considered 'essential'"

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The incident comes after three SEPTA employees died from the coronavirus.

The city’s managing director, Brian Abernathy, said: “When a bus driver says he’s kicked somebody off for any reason, our officers are going to support SEPTA in that effort.

“Especially given some of the challenges SEPTA has faced during this crisis.”

SEPTA said it is investigating the incident.