From The West Australian
By Charlotte Elton
Parishioners have been left troubled after a police officer stopped a Catholic mass at a Perth church on Thursday night to make sure that everyone was wearing masks.
Police interrupted the evening service at St Bernadette’s Catholic Church in Mount Hawthorn after reportedly receiving tips about improper mask behaviour.
Mask wearing is currently required in indoor settings in the Perth, Peel, South West, Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions, but exemptions apply.
Five parishioners were not masked up. One had an exemption, and the other four donned face-coverings.
A photograph taken of the incident shows a uniformed officer walking down the aisle checking people’s details.
“During a Catholic Mass in Perth tonight a policeman allowed himself in, strutting up the aisle demanding correct mask behaviour and checking exemptions,” the caption on the photograph, posted by Perth local Patrick Horneman reads.
“When have we seen this behaviour before in history?”
The church confirmed that the incident had taken place.
Police apparently attended the church after tip offs claiming parishioners were not abiding by the mask mandate requiring them to be worn indoors in public places. Credit: Facebook/Supplied
Speaking on radio 6PR, parishioner Matthew said that the incident showed a “lack of trust.”
“People are pretty taken aback by this. It’s pretty confronting and it’s pretty troubling really to see the liturgy that you love being stopped by police,” he said.
Everyone was either masked up or had an exemption, he said.
WA Police said that of five people not wearing masks, just one had an exemption.
“On Thursday evening, police responded to a report from a member of the public of people not wearing masks inside a church in Mount Hawthorn,” they said.
“Upon attendance, five people were spoken to by police and complied in wearing a mask. One person provided proof of an exemption.”
Speaking on radio 6PR, parishioner Matthew said that the incident showed a “lack of trust.”
“People are pretty taken aback by this. It’s pretty confronting and it’s pretty troubling really to see the liturgy that you love being stopped by police,” he said.
Everyone was either masked up or had an exemption, he said.
WA Police said that of five people not wearing masks, just one had an exemption.
“On Thursday evening, police responded to a report from a member of the public of people not wearing masks inside a church in Mount Hawthorn,” they said.
“Upon attendance, five people were spoken to by police and complied in wearing a mask. One person provided proof of an exemption.”
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