After employees of a T&T supermarket in Mississauga were the subjects of a racist tirade from a customer who was angered by being told he had to wear a mask in the store, one Good Samaritan decided to start a fundraiser to recognize their hard work throughout the pandemic.
Now, about a week later, the GoFundMe page has raised six times its original goal of $1,000.
As of Thursday at 9:20 a.m., a total of $6,220 has been raised for the hard-working employees.
"Watching the video was really painful and my heart went out to the employees," said Cindy L., the woman who started the fundraiser, last week when explaining why she decided to do it.
"As essential workers, they're already putting their health at risk during these tough times. To be the subject of racism is beyond awful."
A video of the man shouting racist slurs at the employees went viral last week after it was captured by a bystander and uploaded to YouTube, and Peel Regional Police have since identified the suspect and are urging him to come forward.
"On Sunday, July 5, 2020, the suspect attended a supermarket in the area of Central Parkway West and Grand Park Drive in the City of Mississauga. The man was not wearing a mask and was asked by employees to put on a face mask, as is the current store policy," reads a news release from police about the incident.
"The man became agitated and began yelling, making negative and disparaging comments regarding the heritage of staff members. The man was repeatedly asked to leave, and eventually left the store and did not return."
Investigators have identified the man as John McCash, a 48-year-old man from Mississauga, and a Summon has been issued for the offence of Causing a Disturbance.
"Hate crime incidents impact our community, creating a ripple effect. It can increase feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, and fear, not only on the individual who has directly been victimized but, as we have seen with this incident, on the broader community," said Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah.
"Reporting hate crime is essential to stopping these incidents; we are committed to pursuing these incident."
by Mira Miller via blogTO
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