"It makes me wonder if it has something to do with who we are," is what Stephanie Clarke told TVC22 after she and her husband received a ticket for 'failing to comply' with the current restrictions.

Stephanie and her husband, as well as the couple they were with, were fined $750 (+tax) each (total of $1500 plus tax) for engaging in a "5-7 minute" conversation in the Walmart parking on Sunday 18th of April. 

Whether or not this constitutes a "gathering" (which is now illegal under the current Stay at Home Order") is up for debate but, with so many other people stopping to chat outside of the food retailer, Stephanie is questioning whether her and her husband's race had anything to do with the ticket. 

"It made me feel unsafe and frightened," she said. 

"When you're a minority and you encounter law enforcement, anyone who knows this feeling knows what I'm saying. You know you have to shut up, and comply. 

"We have a lot of past things acting on the present. Even if that wasn't the intention that's how it felt to me. It was a very similar and scary feeling."

When asked about what else made her feel this way Stephanie said the way the bylaw officers "blocked them in" was "very aggressive and intimidating".

"When I asked the officer why he needed my ID, he just took it from me and didn't answer.

"Like I didn't deserve an answer," she said. 

TVC22 contacted the City of Clarence-Rockland for an interview or comment on the incident but had not been given one at the time of this recording. 

Out of 32 interactions between bylaw officers and residents over the course of the weekend only 4 tickets were issued, including the 2 issued to Stephanie and the other group in the parking lot. 

We have reached out to the local MPP Amanda Simard and will be contacting further civil rights groups to gain further clarification on the validity of the tickets being issued under the current restrictions.