On Monday, a video was posted to Twitter showing an unpleasant encounter at a Costco in which a customer who refused to wear a face mask argues with an employee who asked the man to leave the store.
The video begins with an employee whose name tag says “Tison” holding onto a shopping cart.
The unidentified customer holding onto the other end can be heard saying: “I’ll just put you on my 3,000-follower Instagram feed, mostly locals.”
Tison replies: “Hi, everyone! I work for Costco and I’m asking this member to put on a mask because that is our company policy. So, either wear the mask, or…”
The employee is cut off as the man turns the camera to himself, and says: “And I’m not doing it because I woke up in a free country.”
“Have a great day,” Tison says as he begins to pull the cart away.
“So you’re gonna take this cart from me, full of stuff?” the man complains.
“Sir, have a great day,” Tison replies. “You are no longer welcome here in our warehouse. You need to leave. Thank you very much.”
The man then attempts to make an end run around the policy, telling his female companion who appears to be wearing a mask that he would give her his card. However, when Tison continues to walk away with the cart, the man lets loose: “He’s gonna take the cart away cause he’s a p**** little b****. There he is, walking away with all my stuff. There he goes. Cause I’m not a f***ing sheep.”
Kevin and Karen get shopping cart taken away at #Costco || #wearethepeople #COVID19 #coronavirusuk #COVIDIDIOTS pic.twitter.com/LDeB1hDz9L
— ONLY iN LVNV (@OnlyInLVNV) May 18, 2020
The video has gone viral, garnering approximately 8.1 million views as of publication, and Tison has been lauded on social media. Twitter users have taken to calling the man behind the camera “Kevin.”
“Tison is THE MAN!!” wrote user @OnlyInLVNV.
User @Doglover2011 wrote: “I guess Kevin doesn’t realize that he’s on private property, and has to follow the property owners rules, the stuff in the cart isn’t his until he pays for it.”
“The employee handled it well, stated the policy & ended the interaction when the former customer wanted to argue,” user @geewheezie added.
User @ItsButaflii stated: “Regardless of whether or not the mask is effective against the virus, #Costco has made it mandatory for all shoppers to wear it. If you do not like it, proceed to the nearest exit. Kevin and Karen should learn to abide by company policies and rules. It’s too easy.”
Of course, there are comments deriding not just mask-wearing in general, but Tison himself, but they seem few and far between.
A Twitter account seemingly belonging to Tison later thanked Twitter users for their support: “People of Twitter thank you for all of the support. I was just trying to protect our employees and our members. #Tison.”
— Thoff82 (@Thoff821) May 19, 2020
According to USA Today, “Kevin” posted a follow up in which he allegedly stated: “I’ve got every (expletive) right to not wear a mask anywhere because this isn’t about the mask – this is about control … I was one of the only people in that store not wearing a mask, which means you’re protected from me and I’m protected from you.”
A statement pertaining to face masks released by Costco Wholesale President and CEO Craig Jelinek reads in part:
To help protect our employees and members, effective May 4, 2020, all Costco members and guests must wear a face covering that covers the mouth and nose, at all times while at Costco. This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or to individuals who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition.
Costco employees are required to wear face coverings, and now we are asking that Costco members do so too. We know some members may find this inconvenient or objectionable, but under the circumstances we believe the added safety is worth any inconvenience. This is not simply a matter of personal choice; a face covering protects not just the wearer, but others too.
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