A woman was arrested in a Texas bank last Thursday after she refused to wear a mask, as required.
Police body cam footage shows police officers entering the Galveston branch of Bank of America on Thursday and confronting the woman, telling her, “if they ask you to leave, you have to leave.”
“My money’s in this bank, and I’m going to take it out,” the woman says.
“Well, then you have to abide by the rules, businesses have the right to refuse service, even if you’re not wearing a mask,” the police officer responded.
“That’s why I’m taking my money out,” the woman says.
“Awesome,” the officer responds. “Well, you need to go and get a mask and then take your money out.”
“What are you going to do,” she asks, “arrest me?”
“Yes, for intruding on premises,” the officer says.
“The law says that I do not have to wear a mask,” she tells the officer.
“You do not in public. But you’re not in public. This is not a public place. This is a private business,” the officer informs her.
The woman accused the officer of “taking away people’s human rights,” then tried to resist arrest. After a brief struggle the woman was handcuffed on the ground. “Police brutality people,” she says.
“No,” other people in the bank said. “No, it’s not.”
The woman was later identified as 65-year-old Terry White. The incident occurred one day after Gov. Abbott lifted all COVID-related restrictions in the state.
Since the state lifted restrictions the decision to enforce public health guidelines fell to local business owners.
White, told CNN affiliate, KTRK that she entered the bank without a mask and was asked by an employee if she had one. She replied, “No thank you, I don’t need one,” and she was offered a mask by the employee.
“I said no, I just want to close my account and then I’ll leave,” she told KTRK. “The employee goes, ‘Well, if you’re not going to leave, then I’m going to call the cops.’ I said, ‘Well, do what you have to do.'”
She was charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.
