ORIGINAL REPORT: Maskless Mayor Breed caught breaking SF health order at Tenderloin club
"To be clear, I did everything I thought that was appropriate," said Breed on Friday, after a San Francisco chronicle reporter shot video Wednesday night of her singing and dancing without a mask inside the Black Cat, a club in the Tenderloin. She was surrounded by an equally unmasked crowd.
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San Francisco's health order clearly states - masks must be worn inside, unless actively eating or drinking.
Mayor London Breed: "I was eating and drinking."
Kate Larsen: "We didn't see you actively eating or drinking in that moment."
Mayor London Breed: "So when you go to a restaurant, do you sip and put your mask on, sip and put your mask on? The reality of what we're asking people to do is go out, enjoy our city, but also be mindful that COVID is still out there."
A few blocks from City Hall, people out at restaurants and bars shared concerns about the reality of complying with indoor mask mandates.
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"I think in an ideal world, she would be following the instructions that she's giving to everybody else, but the reality is that we don't always do that all the time," said San Francisco resident, Jenny Burnett.
VIDEO: SF vaccine mandate now in effect for indoor bars, restaurants, gyms, more
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"It's a bit hypocritical if she's not wearing it, when she's the one trying to enforce the rules," said San Francisco college student, Teshera York, who also explained that her mask is not always on in clubs.
"When I go, I think I'll have it on for a little bit, but I think it eventually just comes off. I think sometimes it does feel a little weird to be the only one wearing it."
Restaurant owner, Marc Sempere, feels with vaccine checks at the door, full unmasking should be allowed. "If everything drink or every bite, you have to put your mask on, it's not really agreeable to go to restaurants at this point."
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ABC7 news insider, Phil Matier, points out the political context of Breed's maskless moment.
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Kate Larsen: "Does this have shades at all for you of Nancy Pelosi getting her hair done in Cow Hollow or Governor Newsom eating at the French Laundry?"
Phil Matier: "Of course! And that's why it's news and that's why we're going to watch it, because these people are the ones calling the shots, and when you call the shots you gotta follow them as well."
And to that Breed said, "Look, we are all doing our very best and this has been a hard, hard 16 months."
Mayor Breed said she had her mask on and off throughout the night and called the focus on her mask status a distraction from San Francisco's returning night life. She also said it's unfortunate she can't enjoy a night out with her vaccinated friends, but acknowledged as the mayor of San Francisco, "it's the responsibility, it's the role, I don't take that lightly and I will continue to do my best to be an example."