Store clerk calmly handles maskless customer
By Lethbridge Herald on February 5, 2021.
Herald photo by Tim Kalinowski
London Road Market clerk Brynn McNeely and store general manager David Gurr had a stressful Wednesday evening dealing with a customer who refused to wear a mask on the premises, and later had to be escorted out by police. A video of the incident went viral on Thursday.Tim Kalinowski
Lethbridge Herald
tkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com
A video of a local grocery store clerk’s cool-headed confrontation with a customer who refused to wear a mask has gone viral on social media.
Eighteen-year-old Brynn McNeely was working Wednesday evening at her job at London Road Market when she was approached by a female customer who was not wearing a mask.
The woman presented three items for purchase at the till. In keeping with Alberta Health regulations, McNeely informed the customer that masks were required for all customers in the store, and offered the woman a mask if she didn’t have one of her own.
The woman refused to accept the offered mask, saying she had a medical condition which allowed her not to wear one. McNeely said it was store policy that all people inside wear a face covering, and if she refused to wear one she would have to leave.
At this point, the woman became belligerent, McNeely says, and still refused to wear the mask.
To prevent further escalation, McNeely, who recorded the incident and later posted it to social media, then offered the woman a plastic face shield, which the store also provides. The woman also refused that option, and was then asked again to leave. The woman refused to comply despite repeated demands by McNeely that she leave the property at once.
“She definitely blew it out of proportion, I believe, because she could have simply put on a mask or left the store,” states McNeely.
“It could have been that simple. She had three items she wanted to buy, and she put up a stink for no reason. But I did keep my cool, and didn’t let her win.”
McNeely then called in her boss, David Gurr, who is general manager of London Road Market.
Gurr says this incident is just the latest incident as a few other people opposed to masking have also been asked to leave the store over the past few months.
“What a lot of people are doing right now, these anti-maskers, they are just walking around saying, ’I got kicked out of here. I was told to wear a mask there — so let’s see if this place will let me in without a mask,” he explains.
“The fact of the matter is we have signs clearly posted on the doors that clearly state a mask must be worn. Alberta Health Services has mandated masks with very limited reasons on why you cannot wear a mask. One of them not being medical exemptions, as the City of Lethbridge bylaw states, and as we have said to some councillors already — every time we have an issue with someone without a mask, they always bring up the BS verbiage that the city bylaw has. Which Alberta Health Services supersedes both in terms of actual authority, and, secondly, Alberta Health goes farther than the City of Lethbridge does.”
Gurr, figuring the situation with his employee had gone on long enough, warned the woman she was trespassing and she must leave.
When she refused to do so again, Gurr called the police.
“If people come in without a mask, we offer free masks,” he explains.
“If the person says they have medical issues, we provide face shields for them. If at which point they say, ’I am not wearing that,’ which is usually where it goes, we say unfortunately we can’t have you in the store for the potential of spreading COVID-19. At which point, if they put up a stink, which some have, they will be issued a verbal trespass notice — at which point they have no business to be on the property. If they persist, we phone the police and we do follow through 100 per cent with a trespassing fine of $600.”
Gurr says eventually the police came and ended up giving the woman a $600 fine as they sent her on her way.
He says McNeely adhered to both store policy and followed provincial public health regulations in refusing to serve the woman, and he is proud of how she stayed calm even as the woman persisted in trying to escalate the situation.
“I have to protect my customers, my staff, and my business,” Gurr states. “And when we have people blatantly going against health orders, who might have COVID and be spreading COVID to my staff, I am not very happy.
“If you can’t wear a mask, phone your order in,” he advises. “We have taken phone orders since 1929. And we now have online options that you could also place your order on. We get orders completed for at store pick up in a half hour, and deliveries every hour. We have so many options out there, and the fact is most businesses in the City of Lethbridge now offer delivery, curbside pick-up, or in store pick-up. There has never been a time in history where it is more convenient to get your goods.”
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I was standing in line at 7-11 to get my lotto ticket and I had a gentleman standing 2 feet behind me not wearing a mask. I told him to keep his distance and wear a mask which he did not do. Which brings the point what’s the point of having this bylaw and health order if it’s not enforced. This is not the first time ive seen this. Kudos to London toad market for enforcing it but a lot of stores don’t and I don’t blame them as a different news source says LPS gave her a verbal warning. Do all stores need to hire bouncers? Starting to look like it if people don’t follow the health order and LPS doesn’t follow through.
We absolutely need to start leaving heavier fines on some of these covidiots.
…..and Alberta data being studied is indicating that the old strain of COVID is decreasing but that the more contagious #B117 strain is dominating, that Alberta will be slammed very hard even with no openings, and we could be up to 2000 cases/day by the beginning of April.
It looks like things may get a lot worse folks.
I cant believe the pettiness this covid has brought out in people. I was applauded with the run on TP and regular items in the stores when this first came about and now at least 6 months into the mask issues people on both sides need to grow up. I know the masks don’t do as much as people seem to think they do and if I had my way I wouldn’t bother but out of respect for others and laws I always wear one, oh yes I also use my turn signals and drive to at least the speed limit.
We witnessed a complete and utter meltdown of a woman – when the virus first started, when the stores were limiting items. I could care less what people do in their own homes, but please, everyone needs to take other people into consideration, the sun and moon don’t revolve around them.
hoping the idiot got the 600$ fine. if just warned, then there is noting to stop anyone from continuing to break the law. her in-your-face mouthiness created a needless risk for the employee, as she no spit and sputtered her dank goblets while she emptied her feeble brain thoughts on the matter.
potsie – glad you follow safety rules, but not sure how those following guidelines need to grow up; i do see why the belligerent need to grow up, though. fighting with people that have no input on society’s laws is asinine behaviour. anyway, happy days to you 🙂
I spoke to the store (it’s where often I shop) and she never got the fine – only a warning. The store also got a death threat the next day. Nice work Karen.
It is unfortunate that this story isn’t entirely accurate. Another news source showed the video the employee posted on tik tok. The clerk was not calm, the customer was. Two points on the mask issue. In order for a facial covering to be effective, they need to be regulated with a particular filtering requirement. Right now in Alberta face coverings are not regulated. Additionally, according to the Alberta government (under the human rights act in particular) there are individuals who are exempt. Also according to the Alberta government individuals aren’t required to prove they are exempt. *source http://www.alberta.ca/covid
It mandated by Alberta government, and is a bylaw in some municipalities however society is quick to forget that exemptions have been outlined. No one has the right to judge whether others wear a mask or not, as we dont know their full story. To forbid people from enter a place if business, worship, or any public place based on use of a face covering is discrimination. Our society is so busy being politically correct, and demand equality yet we are quick to judge and discriminate based on facial covering. The mask issue has become the new (and accepted) form of racism.
Uhhhh, No
So you’re basically saying the mask requirement is based on the honour system? What could go wrong with that(sarcasm). The mask requirement is to lessen the risk not to eliminate just as the 6 feet rule is. And to equate so called mask discrimination to racism is so ludicrous, I can’t find the proper words to express it, at least here.
What a load of BS. This woman, Karen Cox, is a known anti-masker, who initiated this intentional provocation. The report is accurate and the brave young clerk was traumatized by the event. This is not the first time that this person has displayed her intention to break the law.
Your comment is exactly true about the racism thing. 100% accurate. I love it you even listed your Source on the mask exemptions and people in the comments just say no probably too lazy to even read it. There is an exemptions that people were actually smart enough to read the actual website information from government of Alberta. to not allow exemptions is actually breaking the law. And yes if you watch the video the teller is frantic her voices high pitched she’s clearly agitated and not calm at all. The customer however is nice and calm I wish people would actually watch the video
Does this sort of entrappment excite you, John. What else do you watch on the internet that thrills you?
Too lazy… why don’t you try reading the whole thing. They do not have all exemptions listed in one place. On top of exemptions they have acceptable forms of accommodation such as letting someone shop online. They wouldn’t be making this province wide without enough clarity to enforce it.
The only real challenge here is the anti science branch Covidians who struggle to ascertain the severity of this and reading basic rules.
i agree, mask racism is getting out of hand….mask lives matter and all. do not call me a mask racist; i like most of them, but i hate green ones because they tend to be of inferior stock. let us get behind the right and “mask canada great again!”
Stop defending this woman, she drilled this girl who happens to be 17 years old for TEN minutes – then after that drilled the owner for another TEN minutes. She went before the police arrived. What the hell has racism got to do with it? If Karen had been First Nations, she would have been dragged out in handcuffs. Wake up. Start caring about other people – the sun doesn’t evolve around one mentally ill person.
If you think being asked to wear a mask tp protect yourself and others in the midst of a global pandemic is equivalent to racism or oppression you have no idea what racism or oppression actually are.
Exactly, ignorance is bliss.
lol – as an example of the ability for rational thought and honest information by anti-maskers, the entry in fact strongly favours the position of tending to caution by those who feel masks are helpful.
btw – wearing a mask does not mean one is ok with govts restricting the rights of people; it means one cares enough for others in the light of not having irrefutable information that says masks have little to no effect at prevention. given the few flu cases we had the last year, it appears masks do reduce the transmission of airborne virus. too bad they cannot filter out the stupidity of some when they open their mouth to speak.