Costco manager kicks customer out of store for refusing to wear mask amid COVID-19 concerns

A Costco manager took a customer’s cart away and kicked him out of the store after the patron refused to wear a mask amid safety measures being taken against the coronavirus outbreak. 

The customer, who filmed his encounter with a Costco manager named Tison and posted the footage on Instagram, refuses to comply with a request to put on a mask because he woke up in a ‘free country’. 

Tison’s response is to calmly walk away with the cart while wishing the customer, ‘Have a nice day.’ 

The customer is left in disbelief, makes an insulting remark about the manager, gives up his Costco membership card to a woman who came with him to the store and proclaims, ‘I’m not an f—–g sheep.’ 

A Costco manager named Tison (pictured) took a customer’s cart away and kicked him out of the store after the patron refused to wear a mask amid safety measures being taken against the coronavirus outbreak

The customer (pictured), who filmed his encounter with the Costco manager named Tison and posted the footage on Instagram, refuses to comply with a request to put on a mask because he woke up in a ‘free country’

The customer (pictured), who filmed his encounter with the Costco manager named Tison and posted the footage on Instagram, refuses to comply with a request to put on a mask because he woke up in a ‘free country’

Tison's response is to calmly walk away with the cart

Tison’s response is to calmly walk away with the cart

As Tison is pulling away with the cart, he wishes the customer, 'Have a nice day'

As Tison is pulling away with the cart, he wishes the customer, ‘Have a nice day’

The customer is left in disbelief as he watches Tison taking his cart

The customer is left in disbelief as he watches Tison taking his cart

The patron makes an insulting remark about the manager as he gets further away with the cart

The patron makes an insulting remark about the manager as he gets further away with the cart

The customer gives up his Costco membership card to a woman who came with him to the store and proclaims, ‘I’m not an f-----g sheep' as Tison disappears into the store

The customer gives up his Costco membership card to a woman who came with him to the store and proclaims, ‘I’m not an f—–g sheep’ as Tison disappears into the store

Costco issued a new policy from May 4 requiring all customers and workers to wear a face mask inside its stores and gas stations.

‘The use of a mask or face covering should not be seen as a substitute for social distancing,’ the statement read.

‘Please continue to observe rules regarding appropriate distancing while on Costco premises.’

The rule sparked a backlash among some shoppers who took to social media to slam the move.

‘I will not comply with your mask rule!,’ one person posted on Twitter.

Others blasted the move an ‘abuse of power’: ‘You have hit a new low… you are an American corporation with an obligation to support our American values, dictating face mask for your workers is one thing but forcing this on your loyal members who paid for a membership is a complete abuse of power.’

Costco issued a new policy from May 4 requiring all customers and workers to wear a face mask inside its stores and gas stations. Shoppers wearing masks are seen exiting a Costco store in Washington, DC, a day after the rule went into effect

Costco issued a new policy from May 4 requiring all customers and workers to wear a face mask inside its stores and gas stations. Shoppers wearing masks are seen exiting a Costco store in Washington, DC, a day after the rule went into effect

Anger over the move comes despite CDC guidance recommending all Americans wear face masks when venturing out of their homes into places where it is difficult to social distance.

Despite the backlash, Tison received support for putting his foot down from those who viewed the footage online. Twitter user TonyD, who posts under the handle demondd218 and works as an analyst, praised the move.

‘Good on @Costco …they made the announcement weeks ago that every member will be required to wear a mask..this a——e went in there just to cause a scene! So everyone else is wearing masks to protect him..but he won’t wear one to protect others?? Enjoy your Rona Sir!’ the Twitter user wrote.

Despite the backlash, Tison received support for putting his foot down from those who viewed the footage online. Twitter user TonyD, who posts under the handle demondd218 and works as an analyst, praised the move in a tweet (pictured)

Despite the backlash, Tison received support for putting his foot down from those who viewed the footage online. Twitter user TonyD, who posts under the handle demondd218 and works as an analyst, praised the move in a tweet (pictured) 

The customer followed up his video post to rail against people online who criticized him for his refusal to wear a mask. 

Calling himself a ‘speak-out, public villain,’ and appearing shirtless in the footage, he insists, ‘I’ve got every f—–g right to not wear a mask.’

‘This isn’t about wearing a mask. This is about control,’ he says. So far, there have been 1,533,681 confirmed cases in the US of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 97,719 deaths. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk