A Video Shows Officers Intervening After A Passenger Boarded An STM Bus Without A Mask
A video posted to the popular Spotted: STM Facebook page appears to show STM and SPVM officers intervening after one passenger boarded a Montreal bus without a mask. Face coverings have been mandatory on public transit in Quebec since July 13 and the STM tells MTL Blog that the vast majority of passengers are following the rule. But viral posts to social media have called attention to the exceptional cases where transit customers go without a face covering.
In the latest video, officers can be heard speaking to the individual on a full bus.
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One officer says they will give the passenger a mask and instructs them to wait for the next bus. Another passenger, meanwhile, yells at the mask-less person to get off so the bus can depart.
The STM confirmed in a statement to MTL Blog that it had heard of this incident, but was unable to provide further details.
It also did not provide information on how many such incidents have resulted in law enforcement intervention.
The company says it has opted for an approach that favours awareness over "coercion."
Its inspectors have face coverings available for passengers who don't have one.
Most STM passengers are wearing masks, however.
The STM previously told MTL Blog that 95% of passengers were observed wearing a face covering on July 22, just over one week after it became a requirement.
In the week of July 27, "97% of metro customers and 99% of bus customers wore face coverings," the company said.
When Premier Legault first announced the rule, he said it was necessary to prevent a slip backward in the fight against COVID-19.
"The last thing we would want in Quebec is to go back to where we were in the last few months," he said on June 30.
"The more we open businesses, the more people are using public transit," he continued.
"We've reached a new state."
Soon after, on July 18, masks became mandatory in all enclosed public spaces in the province.
This article's cover image is used for illustrative purposes only.
