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A 65-year-old Texan woman found herself tackled and handcuffed after refusing to leave a branch of Galveston Bank of America that requires customers to wear coronavirus masks indoors.
A Galveston police officer arrived at the scene and told the woman, whom Fox 26 Houston later identified as Terry White, of the situation.
“Ma’am, if they ask you to go, you have to go,” the officer said in a bodycam video.
“My money is in this bank and I will withdraw it,” she replies.
“Well, you have to play by their rules,” the officer replied.
Even though Texas Governor Greg Abbott has lifted a statewide mask mandate, private companies are still allowed to enforce their own mask rules, capacity limits, or other safety guidelines.
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“Businesses have the right to refuse service even if you are not wearing a mask,” the agent explains. “You have to go get a mask and then withdraw your money.”
She accused the officer of “taking human rights away from people” in the bodycam video of the arrest.
(FOX 26 Houston)
She continues to protest, and the officer tells her “we’re going to do this the easy way or the hard way.”
“What are you going to do, stop me?” She answers.
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“Yes, to interfere with the premises,” he said.
After a few more back and forths, the officer adds: “This is not a public place. It is a private company ”.
Then he tries to get her out.
“Back up! Back up! An old lady is being handcuffed here!” She cries.
In the video, she appears to ignore his orders to put her hands behind her back and asks, “Is anyone going to get real here? No one will get real? Wow.”
He handcuffs her.
“Police brutality here, people,” she said.
“No … no, it isn’t,” said a chorus of other bank customers. She calls them “a bunch of sheep”.
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White, who accused the officer of breaking his foot, was taken to hospital for treatment.
She faces charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest, although refusing to wear a mask alone is not a crime in Texas according to Abbott’s latest directive.
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