Oregon Governor Kate Brown met Friday with three Oregon State Police officers who were seen on video earlier this week challenging a statewide mandatory mask order while visiting a Corvallis cafeteria.
The incident occurred the same day that the governor’s mask order went into effect in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Brown said on social media that the meeting with the soldiers was his idea. In Twitter and Facebook posts, he is seen having an outdoor chat with the soldiers, all of whom are wearing masks.
“In the world of social media, it’s easy to condemn someone when they make a mistake and keep moving,” Brown wrote. “But you can judge a person’s character by whether he owns it and does things well.”
The governor said they spoke about the importance of setting a good example and that the soldiers took responsibility and expressed “real regret” for their actions.
OREGON’S TROOPER REFUSES TO WEAR THE MASK IN THE CAFETERIA, PLACED ON THE BLADE: REPORTS
“I am focused on saving lives, not firing people for making a single mistake,” said Brown.
State police launched an investigation after the cafeteria reported the incident.
The store’s deputy manager told OregonLive.com that one of the soldiers entered the store without a mask on Wednesday and said: “Governor Brown has no authority to take our civil liberties. We are not going to wear masks. “
The assistant manager added that the soldier said, “F — Kate Brown.”
Several governors have issued new mask mandates across the state in recent weeks, as the US has seen a record number of coronavirus infections since many areas launched reopening efforts around Memorial Day.
Brown added in his post that everyone has to make adjustments amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“None of this is fun and something is really difficult,” wrote the Democrat. “But wearing a mask to protect those around us? That’s easy. The officers and I agreed today that face covers save lives. So you will see them, and me, with a mask that covers every day until we expire this virus. “
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One of the soldiers was placed on leave and three others face an investigation. None of the soldiers has been identified.
Dom Calicchio of Fox News contributed to this report.
