Update (June 13, 2019): In a statement released Wednesday night, Old Navy said they fired the employee seen in viral videos grabbing a Black woman at a store in Canada.

“Old Navy was founded to be a place where everyone belongs. It’s been a part of our culture & values since day one, and that makes it even more upsetting when incidents occur that don’t reflect those values,” they said on Twitter.

“We are so sorry that our customer Lisa Calderon had an unacceptable experience in one of our stores, and we apologize for letting her down. We investigated quickly & thoroughly. The employee involved in this situation is no longer with Old Navy.”

Recently, Calderon’s videos spread rapidly on Facebook. The videos show an Old Navy employee in Mississauga, Ontario grabbing her and demanding to see a receipt. Calderon says she was in the store preparing to return an item and that is why her clothes had tags on them.

The Old Navy employee accused her of stealing and grabbed her arm until security guards came to stop her. The Old Navy Store Manager, Gillian Pike, apologized profusely.

In a later Facebook post, Calderon thanked those who pressured the company.

“Old Navy’s District Manager called me, Stephanie is no longer with the Company, also a public apology will be issued,” she wrote.

“In addition a national sensitivity training (possibly international), will be conducted with all employees. Thanks for your love and continued support, if you know me, you know that I really appreciate it.”

1/3 Old Navy was founded to be a place where everyone belongs. It’s been a part of our culture & values since day one, and that makes it even more upsetting when incidents occur that don’t reflect those values.

— Old Navy Canada ® (@OldNavyCA) June 13, 2019

“Our commitment to ensuring everyone who shops and works in our stores feels welcome & respected is a top priority,” Old Navy added in their statement.

“As part of our commitment, we have ongoing training for our employees and strict policies in accordance with our values.”

Original: A Black woman said she was racially profiled and accosted by an Old Navy employee at the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga, Ontario on Monday.

Lisa Calderon says she was shopping in her hometown mall when an Old Navy employee named Stephanie stopped her and accused her of stealing clothes. Calderon said she keeps the tags on her clothes, so that she can return them in case the price drops.

“When I was at Brown’s looking for shoes, a staff by the name of Stephanie said she seen that I did not walk into the store with my top on, and they saw it on camera, and that I still had the price tag on it,” Calderon wrote on Facebook.

An argument ensued at the store, which led Stephanie to grab Lisa by the arm when asking to see a receipt.

"Stephanie had no right to touch me, she came full force in accusation mode. I have a right to keep my tags on my clothes, and did so incase any of my items were drastically discounted within 30 days, which Old Navy's policy is to give their customer back the difference," Calderon wrote on Facebook.

Two security guards approached the women and demanded the Old Navy employee take her hands off Calderon.

“Old Navy is investigating the situation in our Mississauga store," Old Navy said in a statement.

"Old Navy is committed to ensuring our stores are an environment where everyone feels welcome, and will act swiftly in accordance with our policies.”

Calderon said the store manager, Gillian Pike, apologized for the employee's actions and said Stephanie should have never put her hands on her. In subsequent Facebook videos, Calderon said she was disappointed that something like this could happen in 2019.

"Guys I cried cause I never thought in a million years this would happen to me," she wrote.

"I would’ve been more calm and understanding if she didn’t accuse me first, and would’ve been happy to show my receipt, especially because I voiced my racial profile complaint to the employee before I left the store. This needs to stop, Stephanie had no right to aggressively lay her hands on me and accuse me of stealing a $13 dollar top. Had she not done that this situation would’ve ended quietly.

Mississauga

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