Lawyer denies assaulting Dubai policemen after COVID-19 mask fine

BEIRUT: A lawyer accused of assaulting two policemen when they fined him for not wearing a COVID-19 face mask pleaded innocent before the Dubai Criminal Court on Tuesday.
Police stopped the 46-year-old Egyptian and his compatriot, a 32-year-old salesman, in a busy area of the city for not wearing masks on Jan. 29.
When asked to present his ID card, the lawyer said he was not carrying it because other police officers had confiscated it earlier after they too had stopped him for not wearing a mask.
The suspect turned violent and abused the police officers verbally and physically when they tried to apprehend him.
His companion filmed the altercation with his mobile phone before he assaulted and cursed at the policeman who tried to take his device away.  
The two Egyptians were taken into custody and referred to Dubai prosecutors who accused them of assaulting two policemen.
Court papers obtained by Arab News revealed that the suspects cursed the policemen and their families and threatened to have them fired.
One of the assaulted policemen said the lawyer offered to pay his fine in cash “but when I told him it wasn’t my duty to collect the money” he got irritated and ran away.
The suspect bumped into a traffic post and injured his face before he was apprehended.
The salesman was also arrested for filming the incident and abusing the policemen.
Both men entered a not guilty plea.
A ruling will be heard next month.