A woman in Chicago, Illinois, was exiting a local store when, according to her, a man approached her. According to her account, the man pinned her against a pole and repeatedly demanded her phone number. Thankfully, the incident ended when a valet and other restaurant staff intervened.
The woman in question is TikTok user lavendermilftea, also known as Sid. She posts a variety of content online, mostly lifestyle content, but never anything like the clip attached above. It garnered 476,400 views, 65,200 likes, and more than 1,800 comments.
The Illinois woman detailed that at around 2:33 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, she was exiting Chicago Health Foods, located near Maple & Ash, a restaurant in the area. She said a man approached her and complimented her appearance before the encounter escalated. The allegations described in the TikTok video have not been independently verified.
“I just say thank you, and I try to keep walking, and he steps in front of me, and he is insistent on getting my number,” Sid added.
Then, the man allegedly pinned her against a pole, refusing to leave her alone. Despite her saying she had a boyfriend, the man wanted her number. Sid eventually texted him after feeling threatened, telling him she was going home. Allegedly, the man wanted to follow her home, too.
“I’ve never seen a look like this in a person’s eyes before,” she said. “I thought he was going to beat me up.“
Now fearing greatly for her safety, Sid suddenly noticed a Maple & Ash valet. The man witnessed what was happening, began taking photos, and then beckoned her over. At first, she walked calmly, but then she started to run once she got closer to the valet.
Sid alleged the man followed her and ran toward her as she approached the valet. The valet stood between the woman and the man, while other staff members stepped in to help. Meanwhile, the Illinois woman was sobbing and begging the man to leave her alone.
Eventually, the stranger left the restaurant after the staff called the police. She later claimed she could identify the man and said she was frustrated with the police response. According to Sid, officers did not take a statement after she reported what happened.
“Please be careful out there. This was genuinely horrifying,” the woman wrote in the clip’s description.
Worried Internet Reacts
The video sparked multiple responses.
Many viewers were shocked by the details of her story, saying that they were glad she was ok. One said, “This made me sob. It’s so scary being a woman. I’m so glad you’re ok!” Another one commented, “I feel scared just hearing your story. I can only imagine how scared you felt, and I am sorry!“
Others encouraged Sid to be cautious and, if possible, avoid the area. One wrote, “Please change your route and routine.” Another one blasted the Chicago Police Department, and Sid responded with, “Typical CPD activity, unfortunately. They truly do not care.”
Thankfully, Sid wasn’t alone through this traumatic incident. She praised the valet who intervened and the Maple & Ash staff members who stepped in to help during the incident.
