[imagesource: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain]

It’s one thing to verbally insult staff, or whip off your knickers to use as a mask in order to make some sort of very warped point.

It’s another altogether to throw a petrol bomb into a Spar grocery store because you were denied entry due to refusing to wear a mask, which is what occurred on Wednesday at a store in Pretoria’s northern Les Marais suburb.

According to reports, the man was first denied entry by security staff at around 1PM. After a short physical altercation, the man left the scene, but he was far from done.

Reporting below via TimesLIVE:

[Store manager Unathi] Nkasana said when he returned, he climbed on the cash register counters and jumped up and down before again being removed from the store.

This would not be the last time staff and shoppers saw the man, who drove off in a car.

Image: Best Care

In a massive escalation of events, the man allegedly returned a third time at about 3pm, got out of his car and threw a petrol bomb next to one of the cashier counters.

Paramedics called to the scene treated an elderly nurse who sustained burns on her leg after the petrol bomb burst next to her.

Yoh, this man deserves the full might of the law to come down on him.

Thankfully, after speeding off in his car, the man was tracked down and taken into police custody.

Nkasana confirmed that the incident had been captured on CCTV footage (we’ll keep an eye out for that), adding that the man “refused to wear a mask. That’s the whole purpose for the petrol bomb. Before that he threatened the people in the store.”

It also appears that the man was intoxicated.

Best Care emergency service spokesperson Xander Loubser said the injured woman was treated on the scene, before being transported to hospital.

A number of staff and customers were inside the store when the petrol bomb was thrown, with some now receiving counselling.

Current COVID-19 regulations state that failure to wear a mask in a public place can result in a fine, up to six months in jail, or both.

Chuck in charges related to the petrol bombing and you could be looking at a decent stint behind bars, which seems well deserved.

Yet another reason to treat our retail and essential workers with an extra dose of respect when out and about.

[source:timeslive]