A man in his early 20s was arrested during a Black Lives Matter protest in Pennsylvania after refusing to social distance and wear a face mask despite knowing that he has coronavirus.
22-year-old Julio V. Torres gained the attention of the police during the otherwise peaceful protest that was attended by some 250 people after appearing to give orders to protesters and throwing “objects which could cause bodily harm at police officers.”
After vandalizing a police barricade in front of the Lancaster Police Station, the police chased and caught the man who told them he had tested positive for COVID-19.
In addition to causing havoc during the protest, the man assaulted police officers by kicking and headbutting them before they managed to take him into custody.
Following the arrest, Lancaster Online reported that Lancaster County Judge David L. Ashworth confirmed that Torres indeed tested positive for the disease and “was told to self-quarantine.”
“… [He] chose to attend or participate in the protest without proper social distancing, without a proper face mask and has placed other people at risk — both the public who were peacefully participating in the protest and law enforcement,” Ashworth told the publication.
As Ashworth added, he contacted the media because he wanted to get the word out due to being concerned about the welfare of law enforcers and the public who got in touch with Torres during the protest.
Meanwhile, several officials have expressed concerns that the rise of protests could contribute to the spreading of coronavirus and cause another outbreak in the country.
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Replaced!