By and large, the customers of Harrison Corner Cafe – both locals and tourists – have been cooperative of the vaccine passport system and supportive of the business.
However, this wasn’t the case for everyone.
Cafe staff members are asking the public and local businesses to be on the lookout for a woman who was asked to leave the restaurant after she allegedly verbally abused the staff over COVID-19 and vaccine passport regulations only to return to the restaurant days later after closing time to destroy the signage on the door.
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According to cafe staff, the initial incident took place on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Leanne Bourgoin-Faessler, who works as a server at the cafe, said she went to get the cafe phone to scan her vaccine card as the woman seated herself. Bourgoin-Faessler asked the woman for ID and the vaccine card, at which point the woman reportedly called staff Nazis, communists and used a number of racially and ethnically charged pejoratives against staff. The woman was asked to leave, and she reportedly left on her own, continuing the verbal abuse on her way out the door.
Staff did not report the incident to the RCMP as the woman left by her own accord, Bourgoin-Faessler said.
Cafe staff members said the same woman has been caught on security footage returning five days later after closing time to rip down the signage on the cafe’s front door. The signage included hours and COVID-19 protocols.
Patricia Dignart, one of the owners of the Harrison Corner Cafe, said the woman apparently made a deliberate u-turn while walking past the cafe to take the signs down.
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“We are following the guidelines, just as we follow food safety, liquor license and other guidelines,” Dignart told The Observer. “So far, we have been getting a lot of positive feedback.”
Suspicious activity can be reported to the Agassiz RCMP at 604-796-2211.
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