A maskless couple, who was forcibly removed from a New York City Ferry after refusing to wear a mark citing health reasons, claimed that they were targeted for being white. The man, identified as David, was seen being led off in the ferry in handcuffs as he pleaded the cops to not arrest his wife.
The viral video, which was recorded by twitter user JakeOffenhartz, has drawn widespread criticism for the white maskeless couple over their refusal to follow the rule in the wake of the rising pandemic.
Irate Passengers Ask Couple to Get Off the Ferry
In the incident, which took place on Saturday night, the maskless couple is seen engaging in argument with passengers and NYPD cops over non-compliance to wear facial coverings.
The issue erupted soon after the captain of the ferry ordered them to either wear a mask or get off the boat. Alleging that they were being targeted because of the their race, the woman said that they wouldn't have been forced to wear a mask on the city ferry "if we were f***ing Black."
"These people are just doing what the government is telling them," she is heard in the video. The couple, who claimed to be suffering from a medical condition which prevents them from wearing masks, drew the ire of fellow passengers, who repeatedly asked them to get off the ferry. "We got to go home," one person is heard yelling at the couple.
Couple Plans to Sue MTA Over Compulsory Facial Coverings
Stating that the Ferry's captain was shaming them, David is heard saying: "Because we can't wear a mask, we're being discriminated against." At this point his wife says, "If we were f**king Black, I can guarantee you that guy would never come out and tell us to put a mask on," with David adding "Right, because Black lives matter."
The couple, who lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was given summons for disorderly conduct, an NYPD spokesperson told Gothamist. Speaking to the outlet, the woman said: "I'm just so fed up, this has been going on since March, and my husband is fucking pissed off. Every time I have to commute to Manhattan it's a fucking process."
The woman said that they intend to file a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the state government over the requirement to wear a face mask. She added that they are already suing MTA for a similar incident which occurred on an express bus when they were travelling maskless.
