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essex market
The altercation between the employee and the woman, Stephanie Denaro, began as a result of--you guessed it--Denaro refusing to wear a mask.
Warning: This video contains racial slurs and abusive language.
The incident occurred at Davidovich Bakery at the Essex Market on Manhattan's Lower East Side while the woman was attempting to buy bagels. The video opens with Denaro, flanked by her small biracial children, claiming she is unable to wear a mask.
Someone else in the crowd, believed to be a member of the security team, could be heard saying Denaro claimed to have a medical condition, and told the employee he did not have to serve her. After Denaro continued harassing the employee, the same person told her, "He's not gonna serve you so please leave."
To which Denaro responded:
"Why? Because he's a bi*ch-a** [n-word]?"
Neither the presence of her biracial children nor the outraged reaction from the crowd did anything to deter Denaro. She simply doubled down in a taunting tone.
"That's what he iiiiiis... I can call him whatever I want."
In an interview with The New York Daily News, Denaro defended her use of the word on the basis that her children's father is Black.
"All of my children have a Black father. That's a term I've heard them use all my life."
She also told the Daily News that she objected to being asked to wear a mask because doesn't believe the virus is real.
"It's political theater... It's a hoax to convince people to use absentee ballots to steal the election from Donald Trump."
On one of Denaro's Instagram accounts, she has repeatedly posted videos and screenshots of altercations she has had over mask rules with everyone from her children's teachers to transit workers, along with several virulently racist posts, some of which included photos of her biracial children.
On a second, newer Instagram account, Denaro has posted responses to the incident at Davidovich Bakery, saying that she can't be racist because she has Black kids and claiming she is Black herself.
On both Instagram and Twitter, people were appalled and outraged by Denaro's behavior.
@h.enrry/Instagram
@jackstonies/Instagram
@sincere_in_real_life/Instagram
@gorilla_funk/Instagram
@sweetpeareaves/Instagram
Speaking with The New York Post, a spokesperson for Essex Market said Denaro finally left the bakery after police were called. For its part, Davidovich Bakery has stood by its employee, praising the way he handled the situation in a Facebook post.