Unbelievable moment angry customer smashes a coronavirus protective screen after being asked to wait for a prescription at a pharmacy
The shocking moment an enraged customer punched a coronavirus sneeze guard inside a pharmacy has been caught on camera.
Pharmacist Ahmed Ouf was serving a customer at Pharmacy4Less, in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn, on October 19 when the man smashed the perspex screen.
The screen shattered into Mr Ouf's face and the customer stormed off, dragging products off the shelves as he angrily left the store at about 11.30pm.
'I've been attacked verbally lots of times but as a health care professional who is on the frontline, I never thought that this would happen to me,' Mr Ouf explained.
CCTV footage captured the shocking moment an angry customer punched a perspex screen while pharmacist Ahmed Ouf was serving him in western Sydney on October 19
The pharmacist said 'this should not happen to anyone at his workplace'.
'We need more protection.'
The CCTV footage showed the customer place coins on the counter and wander around the pharmacy as he waited for Mr Ouf.
He then attempted to walk behind the counter and Mr Ouf gestured for him to come in front of the perspex screen.
Mr Ouf handed back the prescription and began speaking to the agitated man.
The man reacted violently and smashed the perspex screen, which broke into several pieces and knocked over items on the counter, as Mr Ouf flinched away.
He stormed out of the store and Mr Ouf watched the customer leave in shock.
Pharmacy4Less CEO Feras Karem explained Mr Ouf was 'a dedicated and experienced pharmacist' who had been 'left shaken by the incident'.
'Such incidents need to be dealt with by the authorities... to send a message to pharmacists and healthcare professionals that they will be supported,' she said.
National President of the Pharmacy Guild, George Tambassis, said the safety and well-being of pharmacy staff was 'paramount'.
'The overwhelming majority of Australians respect and trust their local pharmacy staff, which makes it all the more unacceptable when somebody behaves so poorly.
'Pharmacists and pharmacy staff will not and should not be expected to endure aggression and threatening abuse from a tiny minority of Australians who are engaging in this behaviour,' he explained.
The incident was reported to NSW Police and officers arrested a 40-year-old man at a home on Zillah Street, in Merrylands, at about 12pm on October 23.
He was taken to Auburn Police Station and charged with common assault as well as damaging property.
The man was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.
NSW reported one locally transmitted case of coronavirus and seven new cases in hotel quarantine on Wednesday.
The incident was reported to police and Mr Ouf (pictured left, customer right) was 'left shaken'