ABC’s Hostin warns masks could result in racial profiling, arrests: ‘A real concern’

ABC’s “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin on Friday expressed concern that new coronavirus-related guidelines that include wearing masks in public will lead to black men being racially profiled and arrested.

“Something that I have been thinking about, because you see all of these cases that have been coming up, especially about black men wearing masks and then being racially profiled and being pulled over and arrested,” Hostin said.

“For black men or Latino men, I think there is a fear that if you follow the guidelines, which is wear a mask when you are outside,” she added. “Will that lead to racial profiling? And so it’s a real concern in certain communities.”

The Trump administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on April 3 said all Americans should wear cloth face coverings while in public, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday mandated mask-wearing in some instances for his state, which became the center of the pandemic last month. 

You MUST wear a face covering or mask:

-On public transportation
-In for-hire vehicles

If you are a bus/train operator or a driver of a for-hire vehicle, you must also wear a face covering or mask.

These rules go into effect on Friday at 8PM.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 16, 2020

Hostin also referenced a case in Florida that centered around a Miami police officer who video shows put a black doctor, Armen Henderson, in handcuffs outside his home last week as he tried to put supplies into his van in an effort to provide medical support to homeless people.

Henderson was wearing a medical mask at the time.

An investigation into the officer’s action has since been launched, according to Miami’s police chief.