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- According to Qasim, he entered the store without a face mask on.
- An argument erupted after he explained to one of the store clerks that he was exempt from wearing a face mask due to a medical condition.
- He tried to prove this by showing a medical pass but was shouted at and told to leave the store with his family.
- When he asked why he and his family were being kicked out, the worker allegedly called them “monkeys.”
- “Bear in mind other customers were not wearing masks for whatever or no reason,” he noted.
- The episode left his children aged 11, 7, and 4, in tears, and now afraid to go outside.
- “My kids have been affected quite badly and do not want to leave the house,” Qasim was quoted as saying.
- The incident has also caused him to constantly check how people are looking at him without a mask on.
- “I want to reiterate how seriously we treat reported incidents of racial abuse,” Hughes.
- Two witnesses provided statements to the police, while one employee apologized for the co-worker’s behavior to Qasim.
- Qasim said he spoke out about the incident to raise awareness and help avoid a similar incident from happening.
- Some customers who claimed to have witnessed the event left negative online reviews for the shop.