A Black woman in North Carolina says she was harassed by a white woman for nearly 30 minutes while working to help people register to vote. A video of their encounter has been gaining traction on TikTok, leaving many viewers wondering what the stranger hoped to accomplish by antagonizing the canvasser.
The video, posted by TikTok user @prettygrittychi, shows the canvasser standing outside a shopping center in Charlotte, greeting people and asking whether they were registered to vote. Standing beside her for much of the clip is a white woman who repeatedly questions what she is doing and makes several disparaging remarks.
At one point, the stranger can be heard telling the canvasser, “We are sick of you people.” She also accuses the worker of being paid to stand outside and claims she doesn’t have a real job.
Rather than engage with the woman, the canvasser keeps focusing on her work. It’s only after the stranger repeatedly asks how much she’s being paid and refuses to back off that she finally responds, telling the woman to leave and mind her own business.
When the stranger refuses to back off, the worker says she ultimately decides to leave the area because the harassment doesn’t stop.
Viewers React to the North Carolina Confrontation
The video has since racked up tens of thousands of views on TikTok and continues to spread across other social media platforms. In the comments, most viewers criticized the white woman’s behavior.
“Why on earth would anyone be mad about people registering to vote???” one person asked. Another commented, “She wanted a reaction and instead she wasted her own time.” Someone else wrote, “Hatred has to be draining,” while another commenter who identified themselves as white added, “We are so sick of these racist Karen and we don’t claim them.”
Many people also praised the canvasser for her patience throughout the encounter. “You definitely showed grace and class in that situation! No one should have to endure hate,” one comment read. Another said, “I am in awe of your patience and professionalism.” A third chimed in, “I’m so sorry you had to deal with her.”
The canvasser later shared a three-part series explaining what happened before she started recording. She said the confrontation began after she politely asked the woman whether she needed to register or update her voter information as she walked by.
According to the canvasser, the woman stopped and began insisting that what she was doing was “illegal” and amounted to cheating.
She said the woman then remained beside her, repeatedly interrupting and berating her while she continued trying to do her job. She also alleged that the woman not only referred to her as “you people,” but also attempted to say a racial slur before stopping herself.
