The Police Reprimanded The Mosque Administrators In Bekasi Who Kicked Out The Masked Congregation

The Medan Satria Police Sector, Bekasi City, mediated the incident case of expelling the congregation due to wearing masks inside the mosque. (Pradita Kurniawan Syah / Antara).

JAKARTA - The Medan Satria Police admitted that they had strongly rebuked the management of the Al Amanah Harapan Indah Mosque, Medan Satria District, Bekasi City, West Java for the incident of expelling worshipers for wearing masks.

"Regarding the viral video incident, we have reminded us and gave a strong warning," said Head of Medan Police Sector Satria Kompol Agus Rohmat in Bekasi, quoted by Antara, Monday, May 3.

He said the incident which had been videotaped and went viral recently occurred on Tuesday, April 27 at 14.30 WIB inside the mosque.

Agus stated that the mosque manager named Ustad Abdurohman had often been reprimanded and even his party often provided masks and disinfectants.

"At that time there was a change, yesterday there was this incident I was also surprised, and at that time I immediately reprimanded and I mediated between the two parties," he said.

Agus emphasized that this incident would be the last. Mosque administrators may no longer prohibit worshipers from wearing masks but must oblige them because of the corona pandemic situation. Not only wearing masks, the application of other health protocols must also be applied such as washing hands, checking body temperature, and spraying disinfectant fluids.

"We have made a mutual agreement, the mosque management may no longer prohibit the congregation from wearing masks. If this is violated, of course there will be legal consequences," he said.

Wow, RELIGIOUS DROUGHTS .. The incident occurred in the Bekasi Harapan Indah housing area, Al Amanah mosque, Takmir mosque. @MUIPusat @DivHumas_Polri pic.twitter.com/vemYBAfnQr

- 🇮🇩 Dr 🇮🇩 (gratias_15) May 2, 2021

The results of the mediation between the two parties ended in peace and mutual forgiveness. Mosque administrators also agreed that they would no longer prohibit worshipers from wearing masks.

In the mediation, Roni Octavianto explained that he was treated not wearing, which made him offended because he was expelled for wearing a mask in the mosque. For this treatment, he reported to the police with the hope that the mosque management would pay more attention to health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of Medan Satria District, Lia Erliani, said that her party had twice received reports of complaints about prohibiting the use of masks at the Al Amanah Mosque. The incident experienced by Roni on April 27, 2021 and citizen reports received by the Bekasi City COVID-19 Report Team on April 14, 2021 related to violations of health protocols of not maintaining distance during tarawih prayers in congregation.

Medan Satria Subdistrict, together with elements of the police and prestigious officers have reprimanded the Al Amanah Mosque's DKM. "I hope this incident does not happen again, and people are expected to comply with health protocols," he said.