A video that was trending on Reddit’s r/PublicFreakout page on Tuesday shows a patron who says he was refused service and thrown out of a Trader Joe’s after asking another customer to wear a mask.
The video starts with the unnamed patron filming two employees outside the store in Yorba Linda, California.
“I was refused service at a Yorba Linda Trader Joe’s because I asked somebody to wear a mask, and they will not ask anyone to wear a mask,” the patron says before walking back into the store.
As he whips the camera around, many people can be seen without masks in the front area of the store.
“In fact, if you tell somebody to wear a mask, they will kick you out, just like they’re doing right now,” the patron says. “They’re actually calling the police on me right now because I asked this lady to wear a mask. They actually touched me and forced me out. But I walked back in because I said, ‘Fuck this!’ ‘Fuck this fucking store.’ ‘Fuck that fucking lady.’
“Fucking unreal,” he continues. “The worst it’s ever fucking been, and you guys don’t tell people to wear a mask.”
A redditor, u/funguyjones, claims he called the Trader Joe’s location. “Just called and spoke with the store manager, ‘Nick’ about what their store policy was on masks. He said it is required for everyone. I asked if he had seen this video or knew if it was policy to kick a customer out if they ask another to wear a mask. He said he had not seen the video and reiterated that everyone has to wear a mask. Despite this, I feel something fishy is afoot.”
Some commenters said the anti-mask attitude and refusal to enforce policies is par of the area’s course.
“I’m in Yorba Linda and can confirm that it do be like that. People here just don’t give a fuck,” wrote u/Andypunk92. “They act like everything is normal, and you’re the crazy one for wearing a mask. Entitled white republicans…”
Amid a pre-Thanksgiving spike in COVID-19 cases, California enacted a still-standing mandate in November. The mandate requires that “people in California must wear face coverings when they are outside of the home” unless they meet work or location-specific exemption requirements or have a documented medical condition.
According to the Orange Country Register, the county’s Health Care Agency reported 3,121 new coronavirus cases on Monday. The county has reported a total of 105,764 cases.
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