A couple in Texas were kicked out of a restaurant for wearing face masks inside the establishment to protect their 4-month-old son, who has a serious medical condition and a compromised immune system.
The masks, according to the owner of the place, contradict the dress code of his restaurant.
The Washington Post reports that on September 10, 22-year-old Natalie Wester and her 25-year-old husband Jose Lopez went to dinner and spend the night with friends at Hang Time Sports Grill & Bar in Rowlett, a suburb in Dallas, Texas.
Upon arrival, according to Wester told the aforementioned newspaper, the hostess asked both of them to remove their masks.
Wester said the music at the venue was blaring, that he didn't hear very well, and that he
thought it was to have their faces compared to those on their identity documents
.
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When they got to the table where their friends were, Wester and her husband put their masks back on as a measure to protect their 4-month-old son Austin.
The baby, who had been left with his maternal grandmother,
has cystic fibrosis and is immunosuppressed, so
even a cold could be dangerous for him.
"We have to be cautious," Wester said, adding that
there was no sign
in the restaurant
announcing the
no-mask
measure
.
Wester said that within 30 minutes of being at the restaurant, the waitress approached her, sat next to her, and told her that the owner had sent her to talk to her because she was more “nice” than he was.
"
But this is political and I need the masks to be removed
," the waitress told them.
Wester immediately explained to him about his son's illness and assured that the waitress replied that if compliance with her policies was a problem for them, they could pay the bill and leave.
And that was what they did.
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“I've never been told that before, especially not in Texas.
Usually the opposite happens,
”Wester told local television network KCTV.
The owner of the restaurant, Tom Blackner, confirmed to KCTV what happened and said that “when (the couple) put on their masks the other night, they were reminded that they had been asked at the entrance to remove them and they did not want to, thus that we asked them to leave ”.
Blackner told The Washington Post that he, as a private business owner,
has the right to ask his clients not to wear masks as part of the dress code he implemented in April.
In March, Texas Governor Greg Abbot lifted the state's mask-wearing mandate and said businesses of any kind could open at 100% capacity.
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Blackner added that he
took this action to protect himself from criminals who can use the masks to rob him,
and to protect his two sons who work with him.
"I'm not going to do things that put you in danger," he said.
Wester told what happened on his Facebook page, where he has received support and criticism.
A user found photos of her at a concert in August in which she is seen without a mask next to her mother.
Wester has said he only took it off for a moment for the photo.
Blackner, on the other hand, had to momentarily close his restaurant's Facebook page due to the amount of negative comments.
"This town is trying to burn me down," he said.
"
They are just ruthless
."
The businessman commented that he does not regret having taken that measure and that he will maintain it. "This is the right thing to do, and if we don't have a business next week, we'll be fine," he said.
