A man in Norfolk, Virginia, was reportedly minding his own business when police officers approached him. He was subsequently arrested and charged for wearing a mask, with cops citing a 70-year-old state law.
Footage of the arrest was shared by Robbie Harvey on TikTok. There, three police officers are shown arresting 29-year-old Jorge Diaz. Reportedly, one of the cops had pointed out that Diaz was “wearing a mask,” which prompted the eventual arrest.
Diaz is shown arguing with the police, not fully understanding what he did wrong. He is then put in handcuffs and put inside a patrol car. The woman recording the video said he was being arrested after the cops asked him to pull his mask down. He complied, but he then put it back on immediately.
Additionally, the woman accused the police of arresting Diaz because he is Black, with them claiming he was being aggressive.
In a criminal complaint obtained by WAVY, it was revealed that police had responded to a domestic violence call at the scene on January 22. That’s when they spotted a Virginia man, Diaz, wearing a balaclava mask. Reportedly, he had nothing to do with the incident, and he was leaving his construction job at the time.
Authorities confirmed that Diaz had shown his face, only to cover it up again with the mask. An officer told him that “wearing a mask in that manner” could result in felony charges, citing a 1950 Virginia law in which people over 16 years of age use masks or other devices to conceal their identity.
Diaz, according to the police, walked away and refused to remove his mask. He was then arrested and subsequently charged with wearing it.
Charges Dropped, Reactions
After Diaz’s case was reported, authorities announced that they were dropping the charges against Diaz, who was released from jail a day after his arrest. Norfolk City Councilman John Paige lamented the situation, citing the public perception of law enforcement across the country, especially in Minneapolis.
Users, of course, were not too fond of the ridiculous law and the upsetting arrest. “What is this country becoming?” one user asked. Another one said, “While just a few years ago, we were arrested if we didn’t wear a mask.” A third one added, “He got arrested just for wearing a mask. Smh. Land of the free, they say.”
Diaz is expected to show up in court on February 6, where his charges will be officially withdrawn.
