A woman has gone viral after she refused to wear a protective mask while shopping in Costco and ended up sitting on the shop floor in protest. A video has been shared online showing the moment the unnamed shopper is confronted by staff at the store Hillsboro, Oregon, and asked to wear the mask while inside.
Despite having her mask dangling from one ear, the woman claims it is against her constitutional rights to be made to wear it. After she admits she doesn't have a medical condition that requires her not to wear a mask, she asks to quit her membership.
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In the clip, the employee says to the woman: "You just have to tell me that you have one [medical condition]. Well then, you have to wear it. You have to wear your mask in public. This is private property."
The shopper then replies: "I am not a member of Costco."
The employee says: "Want me to get that taken care of for you? Well then, you're going to have to put your mask on."
"I will not," the woman snaps back
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The shop assistant then says: "Well then, come back another time."
To which the woman replies: "I want to speak to your boss."
The employee says: "He's gonna require the same. If you want to step outside here I'll have him come meet you outside. You need to do that it's our policy. We're going to walk outside."
Instead of going outside, the woman plonks herself down in the middle of the floor by the entrance, with shoppers walking around her to get in and out.
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The shop assistant then asks: "Can I get you a chair outside? There's a place to sit. Want me to help you up?"
But rather than leave, the disgruntled shopper stands up and moves a few feet away and sits back down on the floor.
After the manager arrives, the woman can be heard demanding: "I'm not leaving. Do you want to carry me? I am an American. I have constitutional rights!"
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The camera then cuts off and it's not clear how the situation was resolved.
But this isn't the first time in recent weeks that people have taken exception to wearing protective masks in public in the US.
Earlier this month, a Starbucks barista who wouldn't serve a customer who refused to wear a mask has had more than $100,000 donated to him - and after an attempt to publicly shame him backfired, the customer now wants a cut of that money.
According to The New York Times, Amber Lynn Gilles claims she has been 'denied and discriminated against' and is threatening to sue for half of barista Lenin Gutierrez's crowdfunded cash, citing one reason: "Because they're using me to get it."
Featured Image Credit: TwitterTopics: Coronavirus, US News, Health