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Kootenay Co-op has seen increase in aggressive customers who refuse to wear mask since provincial mandate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
CBC News \u00b7 Posted: Nov 24, 2020 7:27 AM PT | Last Updated: November 24<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.5813674.1606231659!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/16x9_780\/a-security-guard-sitting-at-the-entrance-of-kootenay-co-op-in-nelson-b-c.jpg\")
A security guard has been hired at the Kootenay Co-op for the first time in the store’s 45-year history. (Bob Keating\/CBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n1862 comments<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the first time in its 45 years, a grocery store in downtown Nelson, B.C., has hired a security guard \u2014 and it’s not to watch out for shoplifters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their job is to head off a growing increase in aggressive behaviour among some shoppers who refuse to wear a mask in the store, since the province announced last Thursday that face coverings are now mandatory in all retail spaces in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ari Derfel, store manager of the Kootenay Co-op, says while most customers have followed the new regulations, about 10 to 20 per cent of them are refusing to wear a mask and become confrontational when asked to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Their way of expressing [their argument] can be really aggressive, confrontational and mean to the point that they sometimes try to force themselves into the store without a mask,” Derfel told CBC reporter Bob Keating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They speak in really demeaning, negative, critical ways to some of our staff and our cashiers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Mandatory mask order comes as a relief to B.C. retailers, mask advocates<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Some members of staff have broken down in tears and even quit as a result of the vitriol, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.5813676.1606186323!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/ari-derfel-store-manager-of-kootenay-co-op-in-nelson-b-c.jpg\")
Store manager Ari Derfel says he hopes the presence of a security guard will mean some people think twice about trying to get into the store without a mask or abusing staff when they’re denied entry. (Bob Keating\/CBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLeannah Fidler, who has worked at the Kootenay Co-op for five years, says she has never seen her workplace like the pressure-cooker environment it is now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We’re getting a lot of pushback from folks that either don’t really believe that [COVID-19] is a real thing, or don’t believe that masks are an appropriate way to combat it,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“People are just waiting for an altercation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- B.C. brings in sweeping new measures to control COVID-19, including mandatory masks<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Assistant manager Shannon McAllister is pleading with customers to end the verbal abuse toward her staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“At the end of the day, we’re all just people and we’re all trying to do our best and do our jobs,” she told Chris Walker, host of CBC’s Daybreak South<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n“Especially people that are working in retail and grocery stores and restaurants … [they’re] doing so at their own risk to provide that service for our community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.5813668.1606186018!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/kootenay-co-op-in-downtown-nelson-b-c.jpg\")
Some members of staff at the Kootenay Co-op in Nelson, B.C., have broken down in tears and even quit as a result of the vitriol, the store’s manager said. (Bob Keating\/CBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nMost shoppers like regular customer Reiko Fujibayashi, who worked at the store for 10 years, have no problem masking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t understand why people would personalize something that’s a mandate,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Derfel hopes the presence of a security guard will mean some people think twice about trying to get into the store without a mask or abusing staff when they’re denied entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CAFE says: Stop bossing people around. They’re keeping your business afloat by shopping there. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kootenay Co-op Hires Security Guard to Silence People Who Object t Forced Masking Anti-mask hostility forces Nelson grocery store to hire security guard for 1st time in 45 years Social Sharing Facebook Twitter Email Reddit LinkedIn Kootenay Co-op has seen … Continue reading
Kootenay Co-op has seen increase in aggressive customers who refuse to wear mask since provincial mandate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
CBC News \u00b7 Posted: Nov 24, 2020 7:27 AM PT | Last Updated: November 24<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1862 comments<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the first time in its 45 years, a grocery store in downtown Nelson, B.C., has hired a security guard \u2014 and it’s not to watch out for shoplifters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their job is to head off a growing increase in aggressive behaviour among some shoppers who refuse to wear a mask in the store, since the province announced last Thursday that face coverings are now mandatory in all retail spaces in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ari Derfel, store manager of the Kootenay Co-op, says while most customers have followed the new regulations, about 10 to 20 per cent of them are refusing to wear a mask and become confrontational when asked to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Their way of expressing [their argument] can be really aggressive, confrontational and mean to the point that they sometimes try to force themselves into the store without a mask,” Derfel told CBC reporter Bob Keating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “They speak in really demeaning, negative, critical ways to some of our staff and our cashiers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some members of staff have broken down in tears and even quit as a result of the vitriol, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leannah Fidler, who has worked at the Kootenay Co-op for five years, says she has never seen her workplace like the pressure-cooker environment it is now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “We’re getting a lot of pushback from folks that either don’t really believe that [COVID-19] is a real thing, or don’t believe that masks are an appropriate way to combat it,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “People are just waiting for an altercation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Assistant manager Shannon McAllister is pleading with customers to end the verbal abuse toward her staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “At the end of the day, we’re all just people and we’re all trying to do our best and do our jobs,” she told Chris Walker, host of CBC’s Daybreak South<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Especially people that are working in retail and grocery stores and restaurants … [they’re] doing so at their own risk to provide that service for our community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most shoppers like regular customer Reiko Fujibayashi, who worked at the store for 10 years, have no problem masking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I don’t understand why people would personalize something that’s a mandate,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Derfel hopes the presence of a security guard will mean some people think twice about trying to get into the store without a mask or abusing staff when they’re denied entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CAFE says: Stop bossing people around. They’re keeping your business afloat by shopping there. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kootenay Co-op Hires Security Guard to Silence People Who Object t Forced Masking Anti-mask hostility forces Nelson grocery store to hire security guard for 1st time in 45 years Social Sharing Facebook Twitter Email Reddit LinkedIn Kootenay Co-op has seen … Continue reading