I have a complaint against the Hudson Bay company's security personnel. I was in the store browsing the men's cologne. I stopped at a bottle of cologne I wanted to try. I picked it up and spayed some on myself. I then put the bottle down and without asking any sales personnel about the cologne I left and went in to the McDonald's next door.
After I finished eating I decided to go back into the Bay and ask the salesperson how much the cologne was that I had tried. While I was waiting for her to get off the telephone I tried a little more of the cologne and put it down. That was when the salesperson noticed me and I asked her how much the cologne was. She answered $95, so I asked if there was a smaller bottle of the same cologne and she told me it was around $65. I thanked her and decided to go and look at the men's clothing upstairs. I had only walked about four steps away from the cologne counter and I was approached from behind by a security officer who came right up close to my face staring into my eyes with a (I perceived to be a threatening look) He said to me “you have to leave the store at once, you have sprayed the cologne on yourself and you have been looking at the women.” I replied to him that I had done nothing wrong and didn't feel I had to leave the store. The security guard (he) then replied that “yes you do, you are going to leave now” I was very upset and told him to get away from me or I would have a lawyer deal with him in court.
I started to walk toward the escalator and he followed me. I started to go up the escalator and he followed me. When I reached the the second floor there was another security guard who was coming towards me as though he were going to grab me and then he stopped right in my face and told me I was banned from coming into the Bay. He told me I had to leave right now. I told him I had done nothing wrong and to please get out of my way and leave me alone. At this point the two security guards stood in front of me so I could not go anywhere, I was feeling scared and confused as I had done nothing wrong to be treated in this manner. I then walked to the left of them and went to the other escalator to go down while telling them to please leave me alone. They ignored what I was saying and came very close beside me on the escalator. When we reached the bottom (the first floor), there was another security guard waiting. The three security guards (all) proceeded to tell me that I had to leave immediately and that I was not allowed on the Bays property for 99 years.
I was in total shock at this point and feared what the three men (security guards that were surrounding me) might do to me. This was a very frightening ordeal for me. I started walking away from them and telling them to stay away from me but they kept up with me telling me to leave the property now and was not allowed back. One of the security guards grabbed my arm and directed me out the doors. The three of them escorted me off the property.
We came to the doors that go out to the 8th Avenue mall, there happened to be a man sitting just outside the door on a bench, I asked him for help. I told him these guys (security guards) were using force to get me out of the Bay. The man got up from the bench where he had been sitting and asked the security guards to “leave him alone”. I told the security guards that they had no right to treat me in this manner and that I was going to report them for harassment. I felt totally scared and confused as to why I had just been treated in such a brutal manner. I went home to call the Bay's store Manager but he had left for the day and would not return until the following Monday (April 7/09) This incident happened on Friday (April 4/09) around 4:30 in the afternoon.
When I arrived home I was still in total shock. I was confused and my confidence was shaken. I did not feel like myself for almost three days. Today, Monday, I have started to feel better. I am still having a difficult time believing that the Bay would allow this type of treatment to ever happen.
I would like an investigation into this incident, an explanation and an apology. Every person that enters your store deserves to be treat equitably and not fear harassment.
You can reply to my email address. I will be in contact with the store manager later on in the week once I have received a reply to this email.
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