A 65-year-old Texas woman was found attacked and handcuffed after refusing to leave a Galveston Bank of America branch that requires customers to wear a coronavirus mask inside.
A Galveston police officer arrived at the scene and explained to the woman, whom Fox 26 Houston later identified as Terry White, the situation.
“Ma’am, if they ask you to leave, you have to leave,” the officer says in a bodycam video.
“My money is in this bank and I’m going to take it out,” he replies.
“Then you must obey his rules,” the officer replied.
Although Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has lifted a state mask mandate, private companies are allowed to enforce their own mask rules, capacity limits or other safety guidelines.
“Companies have the right to refuse service, even if you don’t wear a mask,” the agent explains. “You have to go get a mask and get the money.”
She continues to protest, and the agent tells her “we’ll do it the easiest or hardest way.”
“What are you going to do, arrest me?” she replies.
“Yeah, to break into venues,” he says.
After something else, the officer adds: “It is not a public place. It’s a private business. “
Then try to get her out.
“Make a backup! Make a backup. Here are some old handcuffs! she shouts.
In the video, he seems to ignore his orders to put his hands on his back and asks, “Will anyone become real here? No one will become real? Go.”
He handles it.
“Police brutality right here people,” he declares.
“No … no, it’s not,” a chorus of other bank customers can be heard. She calls them “a bunch of sheep.”
White, who accused the arresting officer of breaking his foot, was taken to a hospital for treatment.
He faces charges of criminal rape and resistance to detention, though refusing to wear a mask alone is not a crime in Texas under Abbott’s latest directive.
Michael Ruiz is an American and global reporter for Fox News.