# I was assaulted at work over vaccines/masks **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [September 9, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381 "2021-09-09T14:44:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/1 "2021-09-09T14:44:55Z")
Warning - racial and homophobic insults quoted below. Two nights ago at work, I had a physical altercation with an anti-vacciner. I was walking out to the fuel station with some change for the register, and one of my employees mentioned a guy was going around putting up stickers/signs everywhere. I saw one as I went out the door, it said, “This sticker is easily removeable. mRNA vaccines are not.” Or something like that. As I was crossing the lot, I saw him put up one on one of the cart corrals. Defacing property and all that. I said to him, “Don’t do that.” His response was to turn rude - “Suck my cock.” He said it so softly I almost didn’t hear it, and had to think to make sure I actually heard what he said. Naturally, he’s gone from a nuissance to a problem. I told him he needed to leave the premises. I think I might even have said, “sir”- habitual practice at work. He responded with something like, “I’m done anyway.” As he was walking by me, he decided he hadn’t been a big enough asshole, so he turned, said something else I didn’t catch because he grabbed my badge from my lapel on my vest and tried to throw it away. Except it’s on a retracting lanyard, so instead he pulls it as he turns to walk away. I reach out and grab his wrist trying to get the badge, which of course wasn’t the smartest move, and so now he turns and for a second I’m looking at a potential full on fight. I’ve got his wrist in one hand, a plastic food bin with change in it in my other hand, and he’s turning on me with a bit of rage in his eyes. I didn’t panic, but I definitely was evaluating my own fragility and the appropriate level of physical response required. Then he didn’t throw a punch, but he shoulder butted my chest and walked away, dropping my badge on the ground. I didn’t follow, I didn’t yell anything, I just watched and called on my radio for backup. Should have done that earlier, but I’m too naive. Well, that annoys him, so he comes back over to taunt me more, something about my masculinity, and then tries to bat the change bucket out of my hand. When that doesn’t work, he rips my mask off my face. What a big baby, throwing a temper tantrum. Anyway, he walks away as my manager approaches, and I fill him in. He says he saw it. We watch to see where he goes, and he starts walking across the street to the nextdoor store, so we’re watching, and then he comes back because we’re actually standing next to his car. At that point my manager calls the police. We don’t need more violence. He yells ugly racist and homophobic insults - calls us “kikes” and “faggots”. As he’s driving away, he yells out the window “nigger lovers!” All around racist idiot and asshole. I know, there’s a lot of redundancy in that sentence. Anyway, shortly thereafter I go to lunch and my manager goes out and removes all the stickers. The one over the cart corral said, “Real men don’t wear masks.” I saw it earlier. Reading his email write up, he says the signs had a white rose logo affiliated with some neo-nazi / white supremacist groups. Joy. We’re being a bit cautious at work to see if he returns. I’m okay, just a mild injury to my chest where his shoulder slammed my phone into my ribs. I’m not really that scared of him coming back, though if he does it is call the police time. I also am considering the unlikely but not impossible situation where I run into him elsewhere, he recognizes me, and approaches me again. I will definitely consider that as hostile intent and defend myself accordingly. I’m mostly just angry that this is the level of discourse that passes for debate over “rights” or vaccines or whatever. Stick up signs on company property, and when chastised by the company for defacing their property, throw a tantrum and assault the employees. So, anybody want to move to Texas? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/2 "2021-09-09T17:36:57Z")
I’m very sorry you had this experience. He sounds intoxicated. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/3 "2021-09-09T17:44:19Z")
No, he sounds like a white supremist. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/4 "2021-09-09T18:04:35Z")
Never an antifa around when you need one. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/5 "2021-09-09T18:08:09Z")
Answers the question: “How many kinds of asshole can a person be at one time?” ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/6 "2021-09-09T18:11:35Z")
Is there any chance your store has security cameras on the lot? > _ **Class C misdemeanor** _ if a person threatens another with bodily harm or causes physical contact in a provocative or offensive way, and no other aggravating factors are present. [https://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/texas-assault-and-battery-laws.html](https://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/texas-assault-and-battery-laws.html) ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/7 "2021-09-09T18:13:17Z")
I’d love to know the overlap between anti-vaxxers and white supremacists, I have to imagine it’s a pretty high correlation. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/8 "2021-09-09T18:20:49Z")
More problematic in our area is the overlap between anti-vaxxers/anti-maskers and cops. Basically if you are assaulted by someone who refuses to leave your place of business or put on a mask, the cops are not going to even register a report. It’s happened in our company literally tens of thousands of times. Basically they insist that we let the mask-hole finish their shopping “as quickly as possible” which includes jumping checkout queues. Pissing off other customers who are following rules. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/9 "2021-09-09T18:36:19Z")
Sorry to hear that. I had an altercation at work last year that ended up with me receiving death threats from an enti masker and a month suspension from work. I don’t regret what I said to him and I’d do it again except more forcefully. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/10 "2021-09-09T18:43:49Z")
Why in the world would these idiots appropriate a white rose symbol for themselves? Sophie Scholl would not have been amused. > **[White Rose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rose)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The White Rose (German: Weiße Rose, pronounced \[ˈvaɪ̯sə ˈʁoːzə\] (listen)) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students (and one professor) at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl. The group conducted an anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign that called for active opposition to the Nazi regime. Their activities st... ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/11 "2021-09-09T18:57:41Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > More problematic in our area is the overlap between anti-vaxxers/anti-maskers and cops. This is a problem even here in Toronto the Good. Ontario is rolling out Vaccine Passports and a number of restaurants having been tweeting in support of this as they feel it will keep their businesses open through the winter. The Anti-Vaxers having been showing up and taunting patrons at these restaurants and get no more than a wink and a nod if the police even bother to show up. @Irishman, I’m sorry you encountered this. This is assault and the perp should be charged. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/12 "2021-09-09T19:02:15Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > Why in the world would these idiots appropriate a white rose symbol for themselves? I have read that the anti-vaxxers think “forcing” the vaccinations on the populace is somehow equivalent to Nazi Germany in some way. So this symbol can now be used in a similar manner to oppose the vaccine campaigns (and other COVID-19 safety protocols). ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/13 "2021-09-09T19:06:15Z")
The only thing you can do about a sociopath like that is throw the book at him. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/14 "2021-09-09T19:18:07Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I have read that the anti-vaxxers think “forcing” the vaccinations on the populace is somehow equivalent to Nazi Germany in some way. So this symbol can now be used in a similar manner to oppose the vaccine campaigns (and other COVID-19 safety protocols). And I think this is giving them far too much credit for advanced thought. I’m sure it goes no further than it being a **white** rose. And I’m getting closer every day to the point where I’m just going to hit these people with a stick if they get in my face. There’s no point any longer in trying to teach them that it’s wrong to act like assholes, they clearly have no interest in learning that. But it might still be possible to teach them that it is **unsafe** to act like assholes. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/15 "2021-09-09T19:22:47Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > And I’m getting closer every day to the point where I’m just going to hit these people with a stick if they get in my face. There’s no point any longer in trying to teach them that it’s wrong to act like assholes, they clearly have no interest in learning that. But it might still be possible to teach them that it is **unsafe** to act like assholes. OK. I am keeping this. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/16 "2021-09-09T19:24:59Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > OK. I am keeping this. Thank you! Just so you know, that’s heavily paraphrased from a book I read many years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/17 "2021-09-09T19:32:02Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The only thing you can do about a sociopath like that is throw the book at him. Preferably a large book, like the OED. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/18 "2021-09-09T19:41:39Z")
This is consistent with other reports, anecdotal or otherwise. There’s going to be a right wing putsch in this country at some point (again), and I dare say that a good number of local law enforcement officers will be on the side of the fascists. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/19 "2021-09-09T19:41:41Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > (from Wikipedia) > The group conducted an anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign that called for active opposition to the Nazi regime. Their activities started in Munich on 27 June 1942, and ended with the arrest of the core group by the Gestapo There’s your answer. If you think that the United States Government ™ is focusing it’s tyranical power against you good 'Mericans, then the parallels are obvious: Leaflet & graffiti - that’s a lot like your stickers. Opposing the Nazi regime - against the Fouci Ouchie active opposition - assaulting and insulting store workers Never mind the “non-violent” or the “intellectual” part of the group… ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381/20 "2021-09-09T19:43:01Z")
Well if he’s in Texas, there’s actually another option - if he tries it again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-assaulted-at-work-over-vaccines-masks/950381.md?page=2)