Woman who wouldn’t wear mask at coffee shop wants cut of barista’s GoFundMe

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV/CNN) – A woman in California took to social media to criticize a Starbucks barista for refusing to serve her because she didn’t have on a mask. The barista ended up getting $100,000 in donations.

Now, the spurned customer wants half of that money and is threatening to sue to get it.

Amber Gilles posted a photo of the barista who asked her to wear a mask. “And I wanted to bring awareness about the discrimination,” Gilles explained. The photo’s caption reads, “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.”

That post exploded online. Then, a GoFundMe for tip money for the barista surpassed $100,000

Gilles said she has medical problems, but also said masks are not effective. “One of them I get shortness of breath, dizziness and it messes with the heartbeat. And I do have asthma as well, and I do get ‘maskne.’ So there’s several things going on and not only that but it doesn’t even work.”

She did share two pieces of paperwork to show what she calls a ‘medical exemption.’ A 2015 doctor’s report she shared shows analysis of her uterus and an ovarian cyst. The other document was a hand-written note with a San Diego chiropractor’s letterhead — that she asked us not to show — that says she has “underlying health conditions that prevent her from wearing a mask.”

Gilles said her post about the experience is a First Amendment right. “It was discrimination and everybody is okay with it and enabling and rewarding that kind of behavior.”

She said she wants half of the more than $100,000 donated which was given to the barista in cash last week.

“I don’t care if he gave it to Lenen,” Gilles said. “I’m going to sue him for half of it.”

She said the lawyers she’s spoken to about taking her case are expensive and she can’t afford one yet so she started her own GoFundMe to raise money for herself.

When asked if she has any apology or message to the public, Gilles responded, “No, absolutely not. I feel like I need the apology. I’ve been discriminated against, I’m the one who’s sick.”

Starbucks now requires customers to wear facial coverings or masks in all 9,000 of its company-owned American stores. The mandate supersedes local laws in some states or cities that might not require wearing one.

Starbucks said customers who refuse to wear a mask inside can order from the drive-thru, curbside pickup or delivery.

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