A mask—or rather, the lack of one—became the reason for an incident at one of the pharmacies in Zgorzelec. – A 20-year-old resident of Zgorzelec County, who came to the pharmacy to fill a prescription, was asked to put on a protective mask in accordance with the restrictions in force. However, he refused, citing a medical certificate. As a result, the man was asked to leave – reports Commissioner Agnieszka Goguł, press officer of the County Police Headquarters in Zgorzelec.

Without waiting for the police to arrive, the man returned to the pharmacy with his 30-year-old brother to “explain the situation.” The pharmacist was in the back room. The brothers went looking for him without the staff’s permission. Commissioner A. Goguł:

They did not respond to the other employees’ requests to leave the rooms intended for staff and became increasingly aggressive.

The result? They beat up the pharmacist and damaged the premises’ equipment. Police officers from Zgorzelec arrived at the scene immediately after the incident and arrested the younger aggressor. The older brother was apprehended by detectives.

Both men were placed under police supervision and banned from approaching or contacting the victim. The two attackers now face a sentence of between three months and as much as five years in prison.

Police:

We must be aware that the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths related to the infection remains very high. One element in the fight against the pandemic is the obligation to cover the nose and mouth with protective masks in public places. At the same time, under the Act on Preventing and Combating Infections and Infectious Diseases in Humans, failure to comply with the obligation to cover the mouth and nose may constitute legitimate grounds for refusing to make a sale.

And adds:

Let us remember that the introduced orders and bans are intended to protect us from the virus. Not only our health, but also the health of our loved ones depends on us and our conduct. Therefore, let us comply with the obligation to cover our nose and mouth with a mask, disinfect our hands and maintain social distancing.