Starbucks customer who wouldn't wear a mask wants half of $100,000 raised for barista who didn't serve her

‘It was discrimination,’ says Amber Lynn Gillies

Olivia Petter
Thursday 16 July 2020 09:37 BST
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A woman who berated a Starbucks barista for refusing to serve her because she was not wearing a mask has said she deserves half of the money that has been raised for him.

Last month, Amber Gilles posted a photograph of San Diego barista Lenin Gutierrez on Facebook with the caption: “Meet lenen from Starbucks who refused to serve me cause I’m not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption.”

Gilles’ post attracted widespread criticism, with commenters rallying together to support Gutierrez - she has since made her Facebook page private so her post can no longer be seen.

One person in Orange County, Matt Cowan, was even inspired to launch a GoFundMe page to raise tip money for Gutierrez.

Now, more than $100,000 (£79,629) has been raised to support Gutierrez.

But Gilles has said she wants half of that money.

“It was discrimination and everybody is OK with it and enabling and rewarding that behaviour,” she told San Diego TV station KGTV.

She went on to explain why she was not wearing a mask, claiming she has several medical issues that prevent her from wearing one comfortably.

“One of them I get shortness of breath, dizziness and it messes with the heartbeat,” she said.

“And I do have asthma as well, and I do get mask-acne. So there’s several things going on and not only that but it doesn’t even work.”

KGTV reports that Gilles has provided news outlets with documentation that she alleges proves her conditions.

When asked whether or not she felt like she owed the public an apology, she said “no, absolutely not”.

“I feel like I need the apology,” she added. “I’ve been discriminated against, I’m the one who’s sick.”

It is compulsory for California residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces, such as coffee shops, in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

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