A Montreal blogger experienced the wrath of some Videotron employees when he casually snapped a photo of their recently-remodeled store in the Carrefour Agrignon.

Elias Makos shares the crazy story of his experience last November:

Walking to the Best Buy, I noticed the Videotron store, which has recently been remodeled as the company focuses more and more on its new cell phone services. Not only was the store remodeled, but there was a ratio of about 6 employees per customer in the store.  This was hilarious to me, and even more so when I think about how Videotron’s parent company, Quebecor, has locked out 253 Journal de Montreal employees for almost two years now. Apparently the company can’t pay for journalism but can afford an army of numbskulls selling cell phone contracts.

So I took out my phone and snapped one picture of the store from about 20 feet away. Put my phone back in my pocket and walked to Best Buy. About a minute later, I feel a hand on my back.

The photo worth a thousand punches to the face. (Courtesy: Elias Makos)

“Why did you take a picture of me?”

I was floored. “What?” I said, realizing that it was a Videotron employee from the store. He asked the same question again. I looked at him, flabbergasted that he even cared. He looked very nervous, like he knew he and his store was incompetent. He told me not to take pictures of his store, or else. I stared at him, realized I didn’t have to tell him a thing, and walked away, although not before I must have gave him the most confused look in my life.

I get to Best Buy, walk to the games section (major cutie working there today!) and found several new copies of both games. I was happy. I picked both games up. Then, out of nowhere, this guy approaches me.

“If you take another photo of my store, I’m going to punch you.”

Minutes later, the mall’s security guards approached Makos demanding he delete the photos, claiming taking photographs inside the mall violates mall policies.

Makos’ story turned into a bigger story on CBC Radio, with company officials trading accusations with Makos over whether the public has a right to snap pictures of its stores.

Foolishly, Videotron didn’t learn the cardinal rules of good public relations — strong-arming a member of the public and reflexively taking the side of the goon-employees who subsequently stalked Makos inside the mall will never turn out well no matter how you defend it.

CBC Radio Montreal talks with area blogger Elias Makos, who related his ridiculous encounter with some bored (and boorish) Videotron employees at the local mall who were more than a little camera shy. (12 minutes)
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