A West Shore man was handed two tickets for failing to wear a face covering at both a gas station in Langford and a coffee shop in View Royal. He’s also set to appear in court for a charge of causing a disturbance.
Around 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 30, West Shore RCMP responded to a report of a 40-year-old man causing a disturbance inside the Peninsula Co-op gas station, at 2320 Millstream Rd., in Langford.
Officers found the man was refusing to wear a mask while inside the store and wouldn’t leave after staff members asked him to.
The man was arrested and charged under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act for failing to wear a face covering, which cost a $230 fine. He was released with the condition that he wouldn’t return to the gas station and is set to appear in court for causing a disturbance.
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On Dec. 1, West Shore RCMP was made aware of a video posted to Facebook which appeared to show the same man refusing to wear a face covering inside a Starbucks, at 110-23 Helmcken Rd., in View Royal.
That incident took place earlier on the same day as the gas station disturbance.
While Starbucks didn’t report the incident that day, RCMP investigated, located the man and issued him a second ticket for failing to wear a face covering.
Todd Preston, inspector in charge of West Shore RCMP, encourages businesses to report incidents when they occur.
“No employee or member of the public should be subject to verbal abuse or be put at-risk by anyone refusing to wear a face covering. This type of belligerent and grossly ignorant behaviour is unacceptable. Businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone contravening their store policies and in this case the law.”
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