TikToker Confronts Elderly Target Worker Over Charlie Kirk 'Freedom' Shirt, Sparking Online Outrage: WATCH

A now-viral TikTok video has sparked widespread debate after capturing a tense confrontation inside a Target store between a customer and an elderly employee over a red T-shirt.

The clip, originally posted by user @motherofballers, shows the uploader, identified as Michelea Ponce, verbally confronting the worker about a shirt bearing the word 'Freedom' alongside the name Charlie Kirk. The exchange begins with Ponce questioning why the employee was allowed to wear the shirt while on duty.

'Did they let you wear that shirt here?' Ponce asks at the start of the clip, before escalating the confrontation. 'Are you f***ing stupid? ... You're at work at Target. That's not a Target shirt.'

The employee remains calm and responds by explaining that the shirt complies with Target's dress code.

As the encounter continues, Ponce claims the shirt is linked to conservative activist Charlie Kirk and accuses the employee of supporting racist ideology. 'He's a f--- racist and you support him,' she says.

The employee attempts to disengage as the language grows increasingly aggressive. Despite this, Ponce continues filming and insists that management should intervene, stating: 'You should go get your manager. You should not be allowed to wear that at work. Unacceptable.'

The red 'Freedom' shirts have become a recognised symbol within certain conservative circles and have gained visibility through their association with Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who tragically died at a public event earlier this year.

The video, recorded without the employee's consent, quickly spread across social media platforms, fuelling a broader discussion about political expression, workplace harassment and the ethics of filming retail workers during confrontations.

Who Is Michelea Ponce?

Social media sleuths have since identified the woman confronting the Target employee as Michelea Ponce. She is reportedly an employee of Enloe Health, a healthcare system based in Chico, Northern California. She resides in the area and maintains a social media presence associated with activism, identifying herself as an advocate for anti-racism. Following the viral clip, Ponce opted to make her accounts private in response to the backlash.

Reports circulating online suggest that Ponce's workplace is facing scrutiny after internet users discovered her identity. An online commentator has called on others to contact the hospital and ask whether this behaviour is acceptable.

Public Outcry Over Viral Video

The widespread attention related to the encounter sparked a whirlwind of discussion across various platforms, with many users criticising the TikToker's approach.

Responses have been sharply divided along ideological lines, with many users criticising the TikToker's approach. One engineer and writer Michael A Rothman posted on X: '⁣⁣⁣Instead of acting like a normal adult and asking for a manager, she went straight for shaming and profanity — all while recording it for the internet ... This 'I'm anti-racist' routine doesn't magically turn bullying into virtue. It just makes you a bully with a slogan.'

On Facebook, some posts characterised the incident as bullying an elderly employee, with commentary such as 'Grow up already' and questions about whether confronting someone about their clothing justified being filmed in public.

Apparently, most of the statements online defended the worker, not particularly for wearing politically charged merchandise but for the poster's behaviour seen in the footage.

Ongoing Police and Internal Investigations

In response to the viral video, the Chico Police Department has confirmed it is aware of the footage and is actively looking into the matter.

Enloe Health also provided a statement regarding the incident. On a Facebook post, it stated: 'We ask for patience and calm as we conduct our own internal investigation of this matter. In the meantime, we are relying on the expertise of the Chico Police Department to investigate any potential criminal activity or threats related to it.'

Currently, there are no signs that formal charges will be brought forward, and social media users remain vocal across different platforms.