Advertisement

Canadian shopper explodes in racist rant over liquor store mask policy

Twitter
Twitter

Footage of a man exploding in a racist rant after reportedly refusing to wear a mask in a liquor store in Canada has gone viral online.

In the video, an older white man not wearing a mask can be seen yelling at two men wearing masks.

The incident occurred at Olympia Liquor in Edmonton, Canada, on Sunday, The Edmonton Journal reported. The video has made the rounds on social media but has since been deleted from Facebook.

Navdeep Singh, a store supervisor, reportedly told Postmedia on Monday that the incident ensued over the man’s refusal to adhere to the store’s mask policy.

The supervisor explained that there is a sign at the entrance that asks customers to wear a mask and the man entered the store without one.

“I was about to say that sir, please wear a mask, but he didn’t say anything, he just started yelling at me,” Mr Singh said.

“He said, if you’re going to wear this thing, I’m not going to shop at this store, I’m going to leave it. I said, ‘OK sir, the exit is the other way,’” he added. “Then he kept going on for no reason.”

During the video, the man, who has not been identified, proceeds to shout racist remarks at the men before he leaves the store and insults Mr Singh’s appearance.

Singh is Sikh, wears a turban, and has a long beard, The Journal reported.

“Why don’t you come to this country and be like everybody else? I never knew how good this country was until you people moved here,” the man shouts.

Warning: the video below contains offensive language

“Your belief system is not better than our f****** laws” he continues, calling the men “brainwashed”.

Mr Singh told the outlet that he had never experienced such an incident at work and that the moment was stressful.

“It was racist, but I think he has some issues … otherwise there is no way he could enter the store and start yelling at me,” he said.

As of last week, masks were made mandatory in Edmonton in all indoor public places and public vehicles.

Evan Balgord, the Executive Director with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network told CKWX that there has been “uptick in anti-Asian rhetoric throughout the course of the pandemic”.

“Online, there are two strains of thought. Is racism getting worse? Or are people filming it more now? I think the answer to both those questions is yes,” Mr Balgord told the outlet.

The Edmonton Police Service has not received a formal complaint, according to the local broadcaster, and employees reportedly declined to call the police regarding the incident.

Read more

One American is dying every 80 seconds from coronavirus

Dramatic wedding video captures moment of Beirut explosion

TikTok founder says Trump is trying to kill off viral video app

Video shows woman hurl racist slurs during rant at black landscapers