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White man screams 'go back to China' in viral video after supermarket employee asks him to wear mask

The video begins with the man appearing to drop a number of items from a grocery bag to the floor after he is asked to wear a mask
PUBLISHED JUL 9, 2020
(YouTube)
(YouTube)

Law enforcement is investigating cellphone footage of a man abusing Asian employees at a T&T Supermarket in Mississauga, Ontario while refusing to wear a mask.

The video, which went viral on social media, begins with a man appearing to drop a number of items from a grocery bag to the floor after an employee asks him to wear a mask while shopping at the store. “You guys can all wear your masks and you can all die… and you can all get sick, because when you wear the mask, you get sick. It’s science,” the man says, before confronting a male employee who asks him to keep his voice down. The man then starts hurling anti-Asian racist remarks.

“Where did we get our Wuhan Communist virus? From China, from you guys. The Communist virus,” he is heard yelling at the employee, who reveals to the customer that he’s Canadian. A woman, said to be his wife, is then seen trying to restrain him. Meanwhile, the man continues to argue that he doesn't want to wear a mask because he has asthma.

“Go back to China, where you came from, and take your coronavirus back to Wuhan,” he is seen yelling later in the video. The man finally exits the store after several of the employee's colleagues come to the latter's aid.



 

According to T&T Supermarkets, the man had been arguing for several minutes before the phone started recording the video.

“When politely asked to wear a mask, which is store policy, the man initially refused because he said it was ineffective,” T&T Supermarkets CEO Tina Lee said in a statement to Global News. “He then became irate and aggressive, claiming to have allergies and then proceeded to claim he and his friend both had asthma. Due to the customer’s behavior, we stand by the store manager’s decision to ask the customer to leave.”

Customers with medical conditions are supposed to inform the customer service desk so employees can complete the shopping for them, per the grocery chain's protocol. According to Peel Regional Police Const. Akhil Mooken, an incident at the Mississauga T&T Supermarket was first reported on Sunday, July 5, but the customer had already left the store when they responded to the location.

However, police have launched an investigation since video of the incident surfaced.

“There are a few things this man could be investigated for,” said Mooken. “Causing a disturbance could be one, as would offenses under the Trespass to Property Act. For example, if the business had a rule that indicated shopping was not allowed without a mask or if the person failed to leave when directed, he could face a fine for being in contravention of the Act.”

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie commented on the incident the same day the city passed an ordinance to make masks compulsory in indoor public spaces.

“Racist, hurtful, and divisive comments like these have absolutely no place in our city and are frankly appalling,” she said. “I want to thank all the businesses and their employees, many of whom have already implemented their own corporate policies on mandatory face coverings.”

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