WARNING: Some of the details in this story may be disturbing.
Tim Hortons says it is looking into an incident that took place at one of its Langley, B.C. restaurants on Monday.
A video posted online allegedly shows a woman in the restaurant arguing with an employee behind the counter. There is no sound on the video.
The woman then grabs some paper towels from the dispenser and then appears to defecate on the floor.
She then appears to pick up the excrement from the floor and throw it across the counter.
“In limited cases across the country, restaurants have a restricted access policy for restrooms to ensure the well-being of our guests,” the spokesperson said.
“Our current understanding is that the team member used their discretion in this case and denied access to this guest based on past behaviour and out of concern for the immediate safety of team members and guests in the restaurant. As matters escalated, the team member contacted local authorities for assistance.
Tim Hortons says it is continuing to work with the owner of the restaurant to further look into the matter.
Tim Hortons confirmed that guests are not required to make a purchase to use the bathroom. However, in some limited cases, restaurants may have a buzzer or key entry for restrooms.
Langley RCMP confirm the woman was released from their custody to appear in court at a later date.
They forwarded the file to the B.C. Prosecution Service, which states it has not yet received it. However, once it is received, the service will look at the charge assessment.