A HASTINGS cafe proprietor was targeted by online trolls last week for simply doing the right thing.
Pitstop Cafe’s Jenny Sok, who has run the Frankston-Flinders Road eatery for five years, was trolled on social media after asking a customer to put on a face mask before entering her business one day last week.
The customer told her he was not wearing a mask for medical reasons and refused to comply before leaving the shop and posting complaints about the incident on the Reignite Democracy Australia Facebook page.
Other anti-maskers followed up with negative reviews and criticised her business for being discriminatory.
The episode so upset Ms Sok that she closed her cafe for the day. “That guy never said he has a medical condition at all when he comes to the shop,” she said.
“Our shop always allows people to walk in without a face mask with a medical condition.”
The episode was repeated on Monday when another customer entered the shop saying he would not wear a mask for medical reasons.
“This is very hard for us. In previous lockdowns we have not had any problems,” Ms Sok said.
Regular customers rallied to support the business on social media with Mitch Owun posting: “You are sadly a business that is the victim of an agenda. Hopefully you can get it sorted out. Doesn’t look like too much reputational damage has been done.”
Joel Hill: “They don’t have a medical condition, don’t worry. They use the exemptions as a way of making a political point. Almost none of these people have a valid reason not to wear masks and they bully good people like you who play by the rules.”
Alicia Wilson: “They’re from the Reignite Democracy anti-vax page. I saw someone share your link and encourage others to leave false reviews. So infuriating …”
First published in the Western Port News – 9 June 2021
