Arrest Warrant Issued After Woman Rejects Mask At Texas Bank

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(Source: Screenshot of Police Bodycam Footage)

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — An arrest warrant was issued for a woman who refused to wear a mask at a Texas bank, saying to a police officer: “What are you going to do, arrest me?”

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Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Terry Wright, 65, of Grants Pass, Oregon. The incident on Thursday at a Bank of America in Galveston was captured by the officer’s body camera, The Galveston County Daily News reports.

Police say they’ve obtained an arrest warrant on resisting arrest and criminal trespassing charges.

Video Courtesy/Galveston Police Department

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday ended statewide orders requiring people to wear face masks in public places, declaring that businesses should decide for themselves what COVID-19 precautions to take on their properties. Many businesses have kept their own mask rules in place.

Police said a bank manager called police after Wright refused to wear a mask while inside, and then refused to leave the building when asked.

The police department on Friday released the officer’s body camera video footage. In the video, Wright can be seen standing in the middle of the bank’s lobby, surrounded by other customers, all of whom were wearing masks.

Wright told the officer she had come to the bank to make a withdrawal. The officer asked her to go outside or put on a mask. She refused.

“What are you going to do, arrest me?” she asked.

He replied: “Yes, for intruding on premises.” And then she said: “That’s hilarious.”

Wright then told the officer the law said she didn’t have to wear a mask. As the officer took out handcuffs, she pulled away and began to walk toward the door. The officer stopped her and forced her to the ground. After she was handcuffed, she complained that her foot was injured.

“Police brutality right here people,” she said to the other customers at the bank. Replies of “no” and “no, it’s not” could be heard.

Police said she suffered minor injuries during the struggle and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Wright told The Washington Post that she has never covered her face inside stores, even when the statewide mandate was in place. She said she was in an RV park across the bay from Galveston in Hitchcock, Texas.

She told the newspaper she was “attacked” and compared mask requirements to the way that Nazi Germany forced Jewish people to identify themselves with a Star of David. She also said she believed in a “plandemic” in a reference to a documentary-style video in which an anti-vaccine activist promotes a string of questionable, false and potentially dangerous coronavirus theories.


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26 Comments
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Phineas
Phineas
3 years ago

She refused a lawful order to leave by a private business that has the right to regulate its own safety. She thought that being older would make the cop back down and was obnoxious and self-entitled. She could have discussed it with the cop after leaving the premises.

Larry guess who
Larry guess who
3 years ago

she is typical of the type of poop le who believe that they are soooo smart and do not care for the consideration and feelings of other peope. A giant EGO at work here…..

Nachum
Nachum
3 years ago

Unfortunately, this is becoming, more and more more common. There was a similar incident in Boca Raton a few months ago, inside a bakery. Even in groceries, one sees people with so-called “masks”, whereby their noses are exposed. Hence, they might as well not be wearing a mask. Also, one sees people with masks pulled down their chins. I don’t like wearing a mask either, but I do it to protect not only my own health, but the health of others. There will always be anti-mask wearers, and anti-vaccine protestors. They have the right to peacefully protest, but not to violate the law. In this particular case, the defendant made a conscious decision not to leave the bank, and resist arrest. It is astounding that a senior citizen would act in this manner.

Jonny
Jonny
3 years ago

I hate masks. I do.

BUT. The cop is simply right here. The bank does have the right to decide,

Golda
Golda
3 years ago

I admire her courage. Good for her.

Steve
Steve
3 years ago

All of those commenters here you are just a bunch of sheep following blindly without any ounce of brains there’s no evidence going with masks helps that is why the governor lifted the ban.

Shmuel
Shmuel
3 years ago

If only there was a way police could keep this choleria for a long time…

Rusty Kuntz
Rusty Kuntz
3 years ago

Baaaaa Baaaaaa Baaaaaa

Yokinawa
Yokinawa
3 years ago

She should argue: § 14-12.8. Wearing of masks, hoods, etc., on public property.
No person or persons shall in this State, while wearing any mask, hood or device whereby the person, face or voice is disguised so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter, or appear upon or within the public property of any municipality or county of the State, or of the State of North Carolina. (1953, c. 1193, s. 7.). This was Texas but many states have laws just like that of NC.