A TikTok post going viral alleges a worker at the Sterling Renaissance Festival has been fired for having a service dog.
Known as the “Pickle Man,” Matthew Gordon would roam the grounds selling pickles.
In the video, he claims he was walking the grounds on Tuesday afternoon to reacclimate himself with the terrain when festival owner Doug Waterbury told him he was no longer allowed to bring his service dog on the grounds.
“I said ‘OK. She’s a service dog and per the law she can go where I can go with very few exceptions.’ [Waterbury] said, ‘do you want to work here?’ I said, ‘yes, but this is a violation of my rights and of the law.’ He said, ‘then report me,’ and walked into the box office,” Gordon said in the video.
When Gordon told Operations Director Jennifer Grace about the incident and the possibility of a lawsuit, he was fired by Waterbury.
The festival is refuting that version of events, however. Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, Grace stated “what I witnessed was a termination because of, the reason cited, was Matt’s attitude. So, essentially there had been words between our property owner and that employee and that was why he was let go.”
In the comments section of the video, which has garnered over 137,000 views, Gordon wrote that he has filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice.
The festival says service animals have always been and will continue to be allowed on the grounds.
The Renaissance Festival starts this Saturday.
On Thursday, The New York Renaissance Faire issued a Facebook post to clarify it is in no way affiliated with the Sterling Renaissance Festival.
The video can be viewed below. (Warning some language may be offensive to certain viewers):
@usmcangryveteran♬ original sound – Matt
