Viral videos are showing police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania telling people to wear masks on public transportation to help stop the spread of Covid-19, and harshly enforcing this rule with non-complying passengers.

The first video, posted by the Philly Transit Riders Union on Friday, shows an official informing transit riders that they are not allowed to be on board if they are not wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

He says all of this while he himself is not wearing a mask. A rider also not wearing a mask is then told to exit the vehicle.

throwing off riders for not having masks. Are masks a requirement for riders? this dude's not wearing one pic.twitter.com/2IXtnI5dkO — Philly Transit Riders Union (@phillyTRU) April 10, 2020

Subsequent videos then show multiple police officers forcibly removing the unmasked man from the bus.

do riders know that they might be pulled off a SEPTA bus by 10 cops for not having a mask? pic.twitter.com/NnHXJC02E8 — Philly Transit Riders Union (@phillyTRU) April 10, 2020

The Philadelphia Police Department released a statement saying the passenger was asked to remove himself from the bus several times by the driver, but refused. Police then answered a call reporting a “disturbance.”

The Riders Union, an organization that defends the rights of public transit workers and riders, has pointed out that transit authorities have not been clear enough about whether a mask is simply recommended or required.

we're asking our members to email the Philly police chief and the SEPTA GM to say cops should hand out masks and not assault transit riders. you can too it's easyhttps://t.co/zLHlkK6HTp — Philly Transit Riders Union (@phillyTRU) April 10, 2020

They asked people to email the police chief to “say cops should hand out masks” and not “assault” riders.

SEPTA public transport company spokesperson Andrew Busch said that masks became a mandate on Thursday.

“The covering can be as simple as a shirt, bandana or anything else someone can grab at home before they head out,” he said.

Concerned and shocked reactions have been tweeted in reaction to the video, with some warning this type of authoritarianism could lead to a worse situation, like “riots.”

"This is the kind of madness that will start the riots,” reporter Matt Walsh tweeted.

Here’s a guy getting pulled by his legs off a bus because he tried to ride public transit without a mask. This is the kind of madness that will start the riots. pic.twitter.com/ojfr92Oe3D — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 10, 2020

“Hard to believe this is what it has come to,” another user wrote.

Why is this man being forcibly pulled off public transportation in Philly? Because he wasn’t wearing a mask. Hard to believe this is what it has come to. pic.twitter.com/JTv42DHY9k — Gina Florio (@FlorioGina) April 10, 2020

Surreal video of a guy...without a mask...kicking people off of public transportation in Philly for..not wearing masks. https://t.co/Qw2nleztHc — Avi Asher-Schapiro (@AASchapiro) April 10, 2020

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