As local health departments and the CDC revise COVID safety guidelines, several of the nation’s largest retailers have relaxed mask policies for customers and employees. But the decision to release the masses from COVID mask captivity isn't sitting well with everyone.

A video circulating on social media shows a man wearing a vented mask wielding a canister of pepper spray inside a Costco. In the video, the masked man stands pointing pepper spray just inches away from an employee's face. Then without warning, he lunges forward to shove the employee, then jumps back and shouts, "Stay away! You're threatening my life!"

At this point, a second employee, presumably a manager, intervenes. The unhinged masker now points the pepper spray at the second employee and also tells him to "stay away."

When the second employee complies and takes a step back, the masker says, "Thank you. Now tell that to this a**hole" and gestures to the first employee.

"You can't be threatening people in here with pepper spray, okay? Do you understand that? You cannot threaten people in here with pepper spray," the employee says calmly.

"I can! You're not a cop. You're not a lawyer," insists the masker, before stalking away.

Demented \u201cmasker\u201d fanatic threatens, then assaults, working staff in a public retail space. In some places he would be lucky to be still standing on his feet.pic.twitter.com/r9TrTcfjMA

— James Woods (@James Woods) 1651013848

Several viewers on Twitter were quick to point out that the exhale valve in the man's mask makes him just as big a threat to those around him as not wearing a mask because valved masks only protect the wearer.

Yep. He's "protecting" himself (for minuscule amounts of protection) while exhaling unfiltered breath. A fine upstanding citizen.

— Elon Geldner *\ufe0f\u20e3 (@Elon Geldner *\ufe0f\u20e3) 1651016967

Yes I guess he thinks it is ok for him to spread germs but no one else can

— Dave Stracka (@Dave Stracka) 1651060003

Yup. Doesn\u2019t care about his unfiltered exhaust. smh

— Bryan Knight (@Bryan Knight) 1651007329

Yep they don't think it through

— \ud83d\udc51\ud83d\udc8eEllie Quartz\ud83d\udc60\ud83d\udc57OF 50% off (@\ud83d\udc51\ud83d\udc8eEllie Quartz\ud83d\udc60\ud83d\udc57OF 50% off) 1651034191

Someone should tell him that mask with the exhaust port is worse than wearing a gaiter mask.

— Jags Board Game & Movie Guy (@Jags Board Game & Movie Guy) 1651014075

Masks with a vent don't protect anybody at all. Hasn't he heard Costco delivers. He is lucky. Some of us hit back when assaulted.

— Laura Watson (@Laura Watson) 1651018947

These are cultists: A mask with extra features puts them that much farther up in the mask-hole hierarchy.pic.twitter.com/IOtuyN2kif

— The Berean Times (@The Berean Times) 1651021534

He is such an dumb slave, his stupid mask doesn\u2019t it work

— Miguel Ibarra \u2022 Born & Raised in\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd\u2022\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8by choice (@Miguel Ibarra \u2022 Born & Raised in\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd\u2022\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8by choice) 1651012548

Some had sympathy for the evidently brainwashed man.

Poor guy has gone mad by government decree, he won't be able to live now people aren't wearing masks, what is going to happen to people like him?

— WeCanSaveTheWorld (@WeCanSaveTheWorld) 1651065882

Almost, and I do mean almost, feel bad for the guy. The government and media broke him.

— Brett (@Brett) 1650994902

Give the guy a break. He just lost his job as a fact checker at Twitter.

— Emilio Gallo (@Emilio Gallo) 1651015859

Blame the people who lied to this confused person, manipulating him to make him think this way.

— David Bell (@David Bell) 1651007228

The employee showed great restraint. The attacker probably has a disorder of some sort, and sometimes you have to show a little kindness. Hopefully the gentleman will get some help. I'm not being ironic.

— Captain Jellico (@Captain Jellico) 1651017018

https://twitter.com/customconcern1/status/1519012628751958016\u00a0\u2026

— Blue State Refugee (@Blue State Refugee) 1651025765

Others managed to keep their sympathy in check.

If someone aims pepper spray at me, there is a double-leg take-down incoming.

— Joshua Evans (@Joshua Evans) 1651015421

If he believes in the mask, then he should believe that he is safe regardless of whether others wear masks or not. He just wanted to cause a disturbance.

— Sophia (@Sophia) 1651003857

Try that in my Costco.....please.

— Runawa777 (@Runawa777) 1651013999

This is a pious member of the Branch Covidians, he could not contain his zealotry when he notices a former Covidian not Adhering to the the first Tennent of the Covidian faith ;\n\nOne must wear the most holy artifact of the covidians at all times , The righteous mask of St Fauci

— Glocknessm0nster (@Glocknessm0nster) 1651018978

Coward! Pushing and employee who he knows won\u2019t fight back and threading him with pepper spray! The mask cult should just stay home!

— C (@C) 1651060535

Scared of the virus but then physically assaults other people lol\n\nBeyond parody

— Kangmin Lee \u271e (@Kangmin Lee \u271e) 1651017333

As local health departments and the CDC revise COVID safety guidelines, several of the nation’s largest retailers have relaxed mask policies for customers and employees. But the decision to release the masses from COVID mask captivity isn't sitting well with everyone.

A video circulating on social media shows a man wearing a vented mask wielding a canister of pepper spray inside a Costco. In the video, the masked man stands pointing pepper spray just inches away from an employee's face. Then without warning, he lunges forward to shove the employee, then jumps back and shouts, "Stay away! You're threatening my life!"

At this point, a second employee, presumably a manager, intervenes. The unhinged masker now points the pepper spray at the second employee and also tells him to "stay away."

When the second employee complies and takes a step back, the masker says, "Thank you. Now tell that to this a**hole" and gestures to the first employee.

"You can't be threatening people in here with pepper spray, okay? Do you understand that? You cannot threaten people in here with pepper spray," the employee says calmly.

"I can! You're not a cop. You're not a lawyer," insists the masker, before stalking away.

Demented \u201cmasker\u201d fanatic threatens, then assaults, working staff in a public retail space. In some places he would be lucky to be still standing on his feet.pic.twitter.com/r9TrTcfjMA

— James Woods (@James Woods) 1651013848

Several viewers on Twitter were quick to point out that the exhale valve in the man's mask makes him just as big a threat to those around him as not wearing a mask because valved masks only protect the wearer.

Yep. He's "protecting" himself (for minuscule amounts of protection) while exhaling unfiltered breath. A fine upstanding citizen.

— Elon Geldner *\ufe0f\u20e3 (@Elon Geldner *\ufe0f\u20e3) 1651016967

Yes I guess he thinks it is ok for him to spread germs but no one else can

— Dave Stracka (@Dave Stracka) 1651060003

Yup. Doesn\u2019t care about his unfiltered exhaust. smh

— Bryan Knight (@Bryan Knight) 1651007329

Yep they don't think it through

— \ud83d\udc51\ud83d\udc8eEllie Quartz\ud83d\udc60\ud83d\udc57OF 50% off (@\ud83d\udc51\ud83d\udc8eEllie Quartz\ud83d\udc60\ud83d\udc57OF 50% off) 1651034191

Someone should tell him that mask with the exhaust port is worse than wearing a gaiter mask.

— Jags Board Game & Movie Guy (@Jags Board Game & Movie Guy) 1651014075

Masks with a vent don't protect anybody at all. Hasn't he heard Costco delivers. He is lucky. Some of us hit back when assaulted.

— Laura Watson (@Laura Watson) 1651018947

These are cultists: A mask with extra features puts them that much farther up in the mask-hole hierarchy.pic.twitter.com/IOtuyN2kif

— The Berean Times (@The Berean Times) 1651021534

He is such an dumb slave, his stupid mask doesn\u2019t it work

— Miguel Ibarra \u2022 Born & Raised in\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd\u2022\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8by choice (@Miguel Ibarra \u2022 Born & Raised in\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd\u2022\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8by choice) 1651012548

Some had sympathy for the evidently brainwashed man.

Poor guy has gone mad by government decree, he won't be able to live now people aren't wearing masks, what is going to happen to people like him?

— WeCanSaveTheWorld (@WeCanSaveTheWorld) 1651065882

Almost, and I do mean almost, feel bad for the guy. The government and media broke him.

— Brett (@Brett) 1650994902

Give the guy a break. He just lost his job as a fact checker at Twitter.

— Emilio Gallo (@Emilio Gallo) 1651015859

Blame the people who lied to this confused person, manipulating him to make him think this way.

— David Bell (@David Bell) 1651007228

The employee showed great restraint. The attacker probably has a disorder of some sort, and sometimes you have to show a little kindness. Hopefully the gentleman will get some help. I'm not being ironic.

— Captain Jellico (@Captain Jellico) 1651017018

https://twitter.com/customconcern1/status/1519012628751958016\u00a0\u2026

— Blue State Refugee (@Blue State Refugee) 1651025765

Others managed to keep their sympathy in check.

If someone aims pepper spray at me, there is a double-leg take-down incoming.

— Joshua Evans (@Joshua Evans) 1651015421

If he believes in the mask, then he should believe that he is safe regardless of whether others wear masks or not. He just wanted to cause a disturbance.

— Sophia (@Sophia) 1651003857

Try that in my Costco.....please.

— Runawa777 (@Runawa777) 1651013999

This is a pious member of the Branch Covidians, he could not contain his zealotry when he notices a former Covidian not Adhering to the the first Tennent of the Covidian faith ;\n\nOne must wear the most holy artifact of the covidians at all times , The righteous mask of St Fauci

— Glocknessm0nster (@Glocknessm0nster) 1651018978

Coward! Pushing and employee who he knows won\u2019t fight back and threading him with pepper spray! The mask cult should just stay home!

— C (@C) 1651060535

Scared of the virus but then physically assaults other people lol\n\nBeyond parody

— Kangmin Lee \u271e (@Kangmin Lee \u271e) 1651017333