Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued an executive order before the Super Bowl requiring masks to be worn around the Raymond James Stadium. The order also said that those not wearing face coverings could be cited for a "normal civil infraction" that carries a $500 fine.
After videos of maskless Buccaneers fans celebrating the team's Super Bowl win started circulating on social media, Castor announced at a press conference on Monday that those who flouted her order would be "identified" and dealt with by law enforcement.
Shortly after Castor's announcement, Twitter users were quick to point out the alleged hypocrisy of the mayor's failure to comply with her own order during the Super Bowl.
One post included an image of a tweet reporting Castor's announcement alongside a photo of a maskless Castor sitting next to a man wearing a mask, and a caption suggesting that the image was captured at the Super Bowl on Sunday.
"Apparently the Mayor of Tampa just like the Governor of CA forgets that everyone on the planet is walking around with a camera in their pocket and can document their hypocrisy," wrote one user on the photo, while another commented, "Rules for thee bit not for me."
Fact-Check: False
Firstly, Castor was not talking about authorities identifying and dealing with maskless fans, she was referring to a "few bad actors" who celebrated without masks and vandalized street signs and other property.
Secondly, the photo of Castor was not taken at the Super Bowl. The picture was captured during the 2020 Stanley Cup-winning celebration at Raymond James Stadium on September 30. Castor can be seen sitting next to two people wearing Tampa Bay Lightning jerseys.
The outdoor event, which was held to celebrate the Tampa Bay Lightning's hockey championship, included a boat parade and a ceremony. She even gave a speech at the event and even shared photos from the celebration on her Twitter account.
Attendees were encouraged to practice social distancing and wear face coverings but the city's ordinance at that time did not require people to wear masks while outdoors. Many people in attendance were not wearing masks.
Castor did, however, draw criticism for complaining about fans celebrating the Super Bowl without masks when she did not wear one during The Lightning's celebration in September.
