KEY POINTS

  • The wearing of face masks has become mandatory in Orange County, Florida
  • A man without a mask fought his way into a Walmart store 
  • The whole incident was captured by another man in the store

A Walmart shopper in Florida defiantly fights his way into the store even as a staffer tries to prevent him from going inside for not wearing a face mask. A video that has since gone viral captured the tense situation.

Wearing Of Mask Policy

The mandatory wearing of mask took effect Saturday (June 20) at 12:01 a.m. through an executive order issued by Mayor Jerry Demings, according to WKMG-TV. Part of the order decrees that “every person working, living, visiting or doing business in Orange County” is required to wear a face-covering that is compliant with the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while in any public area.

The order also stated the policy would remain in effect until further notice. In a subsequent statement, Mayor Demings said, “The executive order is in the best interest of all businesses, especially the bars and restaurants. We do not want to experience another shutdown within our community.”

a maskless Florida man fights his way into a Walmart store despite mandatory mask policy in the Sunshine State
Representative image of a man wearing a face mask. Orna Wachman - Pixabay

Defiant Shopper

That same day when the mandatory mask took effect, a defiant shopper was captured on video scuffling with a staffer as the latter tries to prevent him from going inside sans his face mask. Despite being told several times that he could not enter without a face covering, the unidentified male shopper pushed and shoved the staffer until he was able to get inside. At one point, the video shows the man losing his balance and falling to the floor.

A man, presumably another shopper, managed to capture the scene with his mobile phone’s camera. He was heard telling the defiant customer, “You gotta wear a mask, bro.” Another man offers his extra mask but was ignored by the unidentified man, The Post reports.

Recent Spike In COVID-19 Cases

The video also shows the defiant shopper being told by the man holding the camera to let the store’s staffer do his job and just get a mask. Eventually, the unidentified customer agrees to leave the store, but not before the staffer told him he was “spitting all over the f—ing place.” The Sunshine State has reportedly experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases recently, prompting Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York to consider requiring two-week quarantine for people arriving from Florida.

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