Anti-mask woman at Calgary Fabricland made staff 'uncomfortable'
A video confrontation of a woman refusing to wear a mask inside a Fabricland store has gone viral.
Maddie Lemaistre, the store manager at the Calgary location where the incident took place, told Yahoo News Canada that it was an uncomfortable situation.
The argument with staff and other patrons happened on Sunday around noon, and the video video clip began circulating yesterday.
Lemaistre said that the store has had mask issues in the past, but not to this extent.
“[I felt] a little uncomfortable for everybody else. She just wouldn’t listen,” Lemaistre said.
The woman in the video with blonde hair and wearing all black is seen mocking and arguing with the employees, calling them “sheep” and saying they need to “educate themselves.”
She is also seen getting close to the customer recording the encounter.
“Oh no, I touched you. I’m going to get COVID,” the woman said in the video.
Lemaistre is seen in the video asking the woman to leave as she is being “aggressive” towards another customer.
“I was just a little surprised. I thought once the customer left that that would be the end of it,” Lemaistre said. “Didn’t expect anything more would come of it.”
The woman later demands the employees give her an apology when COVID-19 is proven to be a hoax.
“Nobody is sick,” she said before exiting the store. “Educate yourselves. Go online and read and learn.”
The woman also took to Facebook to share her concerns. "If you don't stand up for something then you'll fall for anything," she stated in her Facebook comment.
Masks have been mandatory in Calgary as per the bylaw since Aug. 1, 2020. Failure to wear a mask can lead to a $50 fine.
Fabricland has a policy on the use of masks in its store locations. Lemaistre added that companies are allowed to make their own policies regarding masks. However, Fabricland is offering curbside pickup to customers as an alternative, so customers can still get what they need and are not denied service if they choose not to wear a mask.
Following the incident, #Fabricland was trending on Twitter and the video has received over one million views on Twitter. It was also posted on Reddit, but has since been removed.
Meanwhile, she’s probably the ONLY person in #Fabricland that ISN’T purchasing material to make MASKS 😆😷
Just wear a mask! Wear PANTS, wear SHOES, wear a SEATBELT, wear a dang MASK! https://t.co/o9IicNImdM— Planetchic.T (@Planetchic) September 15, 2020
Why is she in the mask-making store if she doesn't believe in masks? #fabricland #educateyourself https://t.co/I8eG6gAeOM
— Jennifer Mallette (@JLeeMallette) September 15, 2020
You know who needs a whole box or two or twenty of @TimHortons #SmileCookie? The staff at the Calgary #Fabricland that’s who. #WearADamnMask
— Tenille Lafontaine (@RealTenille) September 16, 2020
I shop at this Fabricland in Calgary. The staff are amazing and don't deserve this treatment. https://t.co/4yPnMygche
— Lazy Anarchist (@januaryanne) September 15, 2020
wearing a mask isn't going to help you i understand why this lady is annoyed she goes too far but people are being stupid about masks considering how stupid they were at the start of covid. you only do what what youre told.https://t.co/L3JjpG8YbI#fabricland
— Sarah Jean (@SarahJe81439672) September 15, 2020