Bottle shop manager abused by 'rude and aggressive' anti-masker Karen who smugly waved her 'exemption' in his face reveals her ridiculous response - and fears Covid conspiracy nuts will ATTACK his store
- Viral footage shows a bottle shop worker being abused by a maskless woman
- He rejected a claimed exemption note and asked her to leave the Sydney store
- Manager Alan said the store's no-mask no entry is signposted at the entrance
- He said she became 'rude' and 'aggressive' and said it was not the only incident
- Do you know this woman? Email tips@mailonline.com
A bottle shop manager fears his store will be attacked by Covid deniers after he was abused by a maskless woman he refused to serve.
Alan was behind the counter at Cellarbrations in Glenorie, in Sydney's north-west, when the woman waved what she claimed was an exemption note in his face.
The experienced storeman was not convinced by the document, and the shop has a no-mask, no-entry policy regardless of exemptions so he asked her to leave.
CCTV showed her stroll up to the counter to buy five bottles of wine to drown her sorrows in lockdown about 4.30pm on July 23.
Viral CCTV footage captured a Sydney bottle shop manager being berated by a maskless woman after refusing to serve her
She produced the note and waved it in Alan's face, but quickly became 'rude and aggressive' when he refused her service.
'She was not swearing, but she was being very aggressive, I think the video speaks for itself,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'We have signs from NSW Health that say wearing a mask is a condition of entry. It (the note) looked fabricated, and she was being rude.
'If someone comes in to the store and is rude and aggressive we won't serve them like most other businesses.'
It remains unclear whether the woman's claimed exemption note is legitimate and satisfies NSW Health requirements.
Alan said the woman was failed to check in with the QR code or take note of the masks-only sign at the front of the store - but was far from the only one.
'We have had about 20 people come in without masks in the last two weeks,' he said.
Alan now fears his store will be vandalised by Covid conspiracy theorists after the CCTV went viral on social media.
The woman snatched the piece of paper of the counter as the manager takes the bottles of the shelves
Alan said police were called and the woman was spoken to by police for not using the QR code, but not for failing to wear a mask.
NSW Police said the incident was reported and officers responded, but no fines were issued nor any formal action was taken.
Under NSW Health rules, an customer's entry to a shop can be refused if they are not wearing a mask.
'It is a matter for the occupier of each premise to exercise judgment on what is appropriate for their premises and for the well-being of their staff and customers,' the NSW Government website reads.
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CCTV shows Alan ask why she was not wearing a mask, the woman aggressively takes a piece of paper from her bag and holds it up in front of his face.
Unconvinced, he examines the document, which she claims proves she has a medical exemption from wearing a mask.
Alan appears to tell her he does not accept the exemption and refuses service, taking the five bottles of wine off the counter and carrying them back to the shelves.
The woman storms towards the door before doubling back to confront the manager, yelling in his face and shaking the note.
The woman walks towards the exit, before doubling back to confront the store manager
The woman refuses to leave until the manager appears to threaten to call the police
When she refuses to leave, he pulls out his phone and calls the police while repeatedly gesturing for her get out of the shop.
The woman continues to argue that her exemption is valid, eventually marching out of the store when he refuses to budge.
Radio host Ray Hadley said the shocking CCTV showed the abuse retail workers are copping as they enforce Covid restrictions across locked-down NSW.
While the bottle shop has a no-mask no-entry policy, signs at the entrance offer alternative collection options for those with medical exemptions.
'We require all to wear a mask while on our premises. We have spare/new masks in case you've lost yours or left it at home, just ask at the entrance door and we'll bring one for you to wear,' the sign reads.
The manager said NSW Health signs are situated at the store's entrance
'We do not accept any exemptions or excuses for customers not wearing a mask while in our store. So please don't enter our business without wearing a mask.'
Face masks are mandatory in all public indoor settings across the state, including shops, offices, and common areas of apartment buildings.
Those in Sydney's 12 local councils and 12 suburbs of Penrith council under ultra-hard lockdown are also required to wear masks in outdoors.
These are include Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, and Strathfield.
The same rules apply to residents in the Penrith suburbs of Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair and St Marys.
Those over 18 who do not wear or carry a face mask can be slapped with a $500 fine, with $80 and $40 penalties in place for younger age groups.
Anyone with an exemption must either carry a medical certificate issued by a doctor or a statutory declaration.
Earlier this month, NSW Police issued a warning that creating a fake exemption is an indictable offence which carries a five-year jail term.
The five-year prison sentence falls under The Oaths Act of 1900 and is the maximum penalty for making a false declaration.
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