According to the Kelowna RCMP, police are investigating an allegation that an Orchard Park mall employee was threatened on Saturday by someone who was part of a group of anti-mask protesters.
Officials first responded to the mall to deal with an allegation that some members of a protest group refused to wear masks in the mall and then refused to leave the mall when staff asked them to, shared the Police with.
A visitor to the mall who witnessed the anti-mask protest described that around 20 to 30 people were not wearing masks and were singing O Canada.
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“Everyone has the right to protest … but if there’s a public health order in place and it’s a pandemic, you must obey the public health order. Take your signs out on the street, try to get attention that way, but not in a mall where it can seriously endanger the health of other people, ”said Nicole Blomerus, who was at the mall on Saturday.
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A Kelowna resident, whose son works at the mall, said the young man with a weakened immune system was surrounded by unmasked anti-mask protesters who said, “Take off your f-g mask.”
“They said [it] to him over and over to the point where he was actually scared and even called security, “said the Kelowna mother, who failed to identify Global News because she feared public speaking would affect her son’s employment could.
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The mother said security personnel reacted quickly and took the group away.
She estimates that the entire confrontation lasted around 20-30 seconds.
Kelowna’s mother doesn’t believe her son’s experience is part of the police investigation.
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Police said after officers responded to the mall and spoke to protesters, the group agreed to leave the mall “without further incident”.
“During the operation, investigators found that one person in the group had allegedly threatened an employee at the mall but left before the police visited,” said Cst. said Solana Paré in a statement.
The RCMP continues to investigate these threat allegations.
Enforcement as a last resort
The mall protest takes place amid a series of anti-mask confrontations in the Okanagan.
The Penticton RCMP is investigating an allegation that a woman spat on an employee of a liquor store on Saturday after being asked to wear a mask.
A Kelowna cafe owner said police were called to her shop on Saturday after a group of people refused to wear masks or leave the store.
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Kelowna RCMP said they had responded to “multiple service calls related to business disruptions related to the wearing of non-medical masks and / or disinfection upon entry when guests were denied service.
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“Individuals have the right not to visit the store if they choose not to wear a protective mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We strongly encourage everyone to respect the province’s health regulations for their own safety and the safety of others, ”said Const. Solana Paré said in a statement to Global News.
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The Kelowna RCMP said it continues to focus on educating people about COVID-19 safety measures.
“Enforcement is usually seen as a last resort but can be used when circumstances warrant,” Paré said.
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Masks are required in all public indoor spaces in BC
The provincial government said there are exceptions for people who cannot put on their own masks and for babies younger than two years old.
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Across BC, businesses are being asked to support the province’s mask mandate by informing customers about the policy.
The province says guests can be denied service if they don’t wear a mask and staff feel unsafe or threatened should they call the police.
– with files from Shelby Thom
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
