United States: a large tip for refusing to serve a client without a mask

The United States is still deeply divided between pro and anti-containment, pro and anti-masks. REUTERS / Mike Blake

Text by: Marie Normand Follow

In the United States, for several weeks videos have been circulating on social networks to show the "resistance" to wearing a mask, perceived by some as an attack on their freedom. In San Diego, California, a waiter with Starbucks received a nice surprise after refusing to serve a client who did not want to comply with health regulations. An online prize pool has already raised more than $ 64,000 for him.

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A young woman enters without mask, Monday, in a Californian establishment of the Starbucks group. A state that requires the wearing of masks in restaurants. The server reminds her of the rule, but the client gets carried away. Furious, she takes a photo of the employee, asks him for his name and immediately posts everything on his Facebook page .

Except that this publication quickly goes viral and turns against it. Despite his explanations on the supposed danger of wearing a mask, Internet users take part for the server and describe it as Karen, first name used to designate a white woman who thinks she is allowed.

One of them even creates an online kitty for the server. To date, nearly more than 5,000 people have participated.

The latter thanked the donors and promises to use it to realize his dream of becoming a dancer.

Tensions have been very high for several months between those who agree or not to wear a mask.

Read also: Coronavirus: in the United States, the refusal to wear a mask is gaining momentum

The debate has also become politicized. The president never wears it in public, and his vice president had refused to abide by the rule during a trip to Arizona.
When asked about this, Mike Pence invoked the first amendment, which sanctifies, among other things, freedom of expression.

To listen and also read: Coronavirus: in California, the acceleration of the epidemic worries

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