Editor’s note: The story has been updated to include comment from the family of man in the video, who has a behavioural condition. A previous version of the story included video of the incident, which was removed at the request of the family.
A Calgary registry worker is coming forward after being the target of a verbal attack following a confrontation with a man wearing a Halloween mask.
“When you see us at the door, it’s my own safety I’m worried about because I felt he was being very aggressive towards me,” A-Plus Registry employee Zohar Oonwala said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Oonwala said he was working when he was alerted that a customer wearing a Michael Myers Halloween mask was trying to be served.
“This particular person was wearing a mask that wasn’t identifying,” Oonwala said. “And our business is to identify people before we serve them.”
In a video posted on YouTube, the customer can be seen trying to explain why he should be able to pay a ticket while wearing the Halloween mask.
Oonwala can be seen standing in the registry’s doorway, tying to prevent the man from entering.
“It’s my right, it’s my freedom of speech,” the unidentified man can be heard explaining in the video. ” I’ve talked to police several times about this mask.”
Calgary’s face coverings bylaw came into effect on Aug. 1 as one way to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“While it is not an expectation of the bylaw that a business deny service, they are allowed to do so.”
The more than three minute video then goes on to show the customer take off the Halloween mask and then start to yell at Oonwala while trying to enter the building.
The family of the masked man in the video confirmed to Global News that he has a behavioural disorder.
The video ends with the man swearing and shouting at Oonwala, telling him to “go ahead and call the police.”
Oonwala said in the end he did not call 911 and when he’s seen in the video leaving the doorway, he’s actually trying to get the man a proper mask.
“What I was doing was getting him a mask, a COVID- 19 mask, so I could serve him,” he said.
City officials say if staff or patrons are being harassed or threatened by people who are asked to wear a face covering, they should call 911. All other matters are being handled by 311.
“We recognize the unique challenges businesses face when trying to find balance in keeping customers happy and safe,” Lagran said.
Since the video was first posted, Oonwala said several registry owners from across Calgary have reached out to him.
“They’re very supportive, they’ve been calling me and emailing indicating they see this all the time, they’re glad I took a stand.”
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