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Original poster

Woman thrown out of Sainsbury's for not wearing a mask.

564 replies

Viviennemary · 18/01/2021 10:01

When asked why she wasn't wearing one she told the police they were not allowed to challenge her or ask about her disability. (wrong apparently). She said she'd be taking them to court. Police have criticised ministers for giving conflicting advice. I think it's time this was cleared up. It's far too vague. So seems like people do need some proof of the reasons they can't wear a mask.

OP posts:

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 18/01/2021 10:40

@DamnShesaSexyChick

Even if she is correct and doesn’t have to tell them the nature of her disability it’s not relevant, she still can’t be in the shop with no face covering.

Yes she can if she is medically exempt from wearing a mask.

Argh3456 · 18/01/2021 10:41

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows I think it's got to the point that someone qualified should determine if you're exempt and not simply printing off a piece of paper or buying a lanyard. Obviously I'm not condoning rape or abuse of any kind and I unfortunately know about the latter all too well but we have to do our part to keep the country safe. I blame the government for giving out confusing advice and providing a ridiculous amount of loopholes.

Covidcovid · 18/01/2021 10:41

If she genuinely has a disability and has been discriminated against then I feel bad for her.

If she's a mouthy anti masker which I suspect is the case then good on the police.

Nobody likes wearing a mask. If we all chose not to wear a mask we'd be in trouble. Why should the rest of us have to put up with this hell for longer because of selfish idiots.

I do think there ought to be some recognized scheme though with an unforgable pass. Not lanyards off ebay. Then people could show those, it would be known they were genuine, they wouldn't have to explain anything.

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 18/01/2021 10:42

@RedMarauder they can't ban them when the reasons are discriminatory. Their reason was she wasn't wearing a mask. She can't we eat a mask because she is disabled. Therefore they are banning her for her disability.

Why do people think this is OK?! Would you be happy with them banning black people and women? Because it's the same thing - it's discrimination against a protected group.

Heartlantern2 · 18/01/2021 10:42

My mum won’t wear a mask. She tells people she is medically exempt. The truth is she is a conspiracy theorist and is absolutely notorious for specifically not doing something if she is told to do it.

If she was told to never wear a mask she would be the first one with one on! You just get people like that and it wouldn’t shock me if it turned out that the op is talking about my mum, she shops in Sainsbury’s 😂

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 18/01/2021 10:44

[quote Argh3456]@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows I think it's got to the point that someone qualified should determine if you're exempt and not simply printing off a piece of paper or buying a lanyard. Obviously I'm not condoning rape or abuse of any kind and I unfortunately know about the latter all too well but we have to do our part to keep the country safe. I blame the government for giving out confusing advice and providing a ridiculous amount of loopholes. [/quote]
So how do you propose we build the system for that? GP exemptions? Don't GP's have enough to do? Also why should someone have to disclose their rape or abuse to their GP?

Carysmatthews · 18/01/2021 10:45

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

I am so fucking sick of this

Little Stasi wannabes picking on women (it's always women) and people backing them up!!

She's right - she has NO obligation to share her information. I thought she behaved brilliantly. She was calm, she knew her rights, and the prick police officers refused to even look at the law she was presenting them (doesn't surprise me as they seem to like to make it up). I hope she does sue them.

The sad thing is there was probably a battered wife or a mugging victim who didn't get an audience with police after their attack because they're too busy implementing 1984 in Sainsbury's. Awful. I'm genuinely terrified with the way the world is going.

And shame on those of you who think this is OK.

Had a bad run in with the police have you.

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 18/01/2021 10:47

@Carysmatthews no I just recognise when people are being cunts and discriminatory. Why would I have had a run in with the police?

Argh3456 · 18/01/2021 10:48

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows My GP isn't swamped at all and is resorting to batting off every appointment through an econsult process so I don't think that assumption is honestly valid. I don't profess to have the solution but I think it's about time we address those who feel entitled and simply don't want to wear a mask. They ruin it for those who genuinely are exempt. I don't think there is a one size fits all rule but simply printing off a page off the internet or buying a lanyard isn't acceptable as the anti-maskers, like this woman in the video who prompted this whole discussion, are abusing the system. I'm honestly sick of some people just thinking they're holier than thou and putting the rest of us at risk, and making things more difficult for those vulnerable and exempt.

C0NNIE · 18/01/2021 10:49

Morrison’s have a system where you can get a lanyard to show you are exempt and then staff / security won’t even ask you.

You just have to take your documents to customer services in store and they will issue you with one.

I am technically exempt but I always wear a mask. The reason I’m exempt is the same reason I’m more likely to die if I get Covid.

Icanseegreenshoots · 18/01/2021 10:53

Sainsburys were right, and she can 'take them to court' but it will be thrown out. She is being unreasonable to expect to be allowed to go in without proof of her disability. She knew the rules.

There are ways of providing proof, so she should have considered them first or made arrangements to click and collect outside (our M&S offer this) so she does not need a mask.

She is clearly another chancer -whether she is disabled or not she does not have the right to potentially kill other people.

user1497207191 · 18/01/2021 10:54

Another one of our village shops has closed the shop (pie/sandwiches) to customers, and are changing to service through the door/hatch because of this very reason. The two owners are vulnerable and don't feel safe with unmasked people in their very small shop. They say they're exhausted with constantly having to tell customers to put on masks and stay outside when there are already 2 customers in the shop, so they've had enough of it. And, no, the customers in question aren't "disabled" - the worse offenders are the likes of scaffolders, builders, roofers, and other tradesmen etc., who come in in groups of 2,3,4,5 at a time, whether there are already masked customers in the shop before them or not. I've been in the shop and walked past and seen it myself. They just don't care and do what they want, then get very abusive when asked to comply.

RaspberryCoulis · 18/01/2021 10:55

What I don’t understand is why anyone would feel comfortable shopping without a mask

I would be totally comfortable shopping without a mask. Just back from a quick whizz around Aldi (and I did wear a mask, because it;s the law), it was very quiet, I didn't come within 2 metres of anyone, and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.

And if you CAN wear a mask you are not exempt. The inability to wear a mask determines the exemption, which obviously varies from person to person.

user1497207191 · 18/01/2021 10:57

I hope she does sue them.

She would have to PROVE her disability in a court of law. If she is genuinely disabled and unable to wear a mask, then fair enough, let her have her day in court, but I think we all know that the chances are she has no legitimate disability preventing her from wearing a mask, so no court would give her the time of day (nor the ambulance chancing no win no fee lawyers either as they always check the facts before taking a case too!).

ProfessorSlocombe · 18/01/2021 11:00

Regardless of recent events, private premises have always had the right to refuse entry to anyone as long as it wasn't contravening other legislation like the Equality Act.

user1497207191 · 18/01/2021 11:00

@RaspberryCoulis

What I don’t understand is why anyone would feel comfortable shopping without a mask

And if you CAN wear a mask you are not exempt. The inability to wear a mask determines the exemption, which obviously varies from person to person.

Missing the point. Mask wearing is to stop the spread of a deadly virus that is airborne. Whether you come 2 metres within another person is pretty irrelevant if the virus is in the air in the shop. And how do you know you're not going to come within 2 metres of anyone - what if a non masker comes up behind you and invades your 2 metre bubble? You're just saying you felt safe today because it was quiet - that's wonderful and is with the benefit of hindsight! That's just good luck!

RedMarauder · 18/01/2021 11:01

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows they can ban her if she was being argumentative with any staff member over mask wearing.

Billben · 18/01/2021 11:01

I’m with Sainsbury’s on this one.

bobbojobbo · 18/01/2021 11:02

Their reason was she wasn't wearing a mask. She can't we eat a mask because she is disabled. Therefore they are banning her for her disability

Bollocks. She wasn't wearing a mask because she's a tit.

hopeinavial · 18/01/2021 11:04

Face covering is a law not just guidance, so I would expect people who are exempt from a law to need proof of this.

Jojoanna · 18/01/2021 11:05

I think you should wear a mask or don’t go to the shop.

XingMing · 18/01/2021 11:07

I think the public right to be protected from CV19 is far more important than a person who can't or won't wear a mask in public. Stay home and get a delivery.

frumpety · 18/01/2021 11:07

I am technically exempt but I always wear a mask. The reason I’m exempt is the same reason I’m more likely to die if I get Covid.

Same with my DH, he is exempt according to his consultant, but that doesn't mean he cannot wear a mask, he can and does, if he goes to a shop, because not being able to breathe as easily for half an hour is more preferable to him, than struggling to breathe at all, which would the likely outcome if he caught covid.

He was talking to an ex colleague the other day who lives in France, they said everyone wears a mask to the shops, is it a UK thing or are other European countries having the same issues ?

PenguinIce · 18/01/2021 11:08

I feel so sorry for shop staff; the police and people who genuinely are medically exempt from wearing a mask. All the anti-mask brigade do with these publicity stunts (and I am always amazed they are ready to film these encounters) is makes things ten times harder for them all.

middleager · 18/01/2021 11:10

I was sat in my car for 5/10 mins waiting to go into my dentist on Thursday.

During that time 11 people entered the store at various points as couples/individuals. Not one person wore a mask. Were they all exempt? I'm sick of excusing those who don't give a shit and put the resk of us at risk.

This is not your typical leafy MN naice area, its a tier 4 deprived area where sadly, this is a common occurance. I think some on MN don't live in inner city areas like this, so don't understand what it's like. Mask compliance is so poor here and it ruins it for those with genuine exemption reasons.

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