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New York, NY--Diamond Rush jewelry store on 200 West 96th Street is becoming a hotbed of controversy after putting up a sign asking people not to enter the store wearing masks.

According to a report by the publication, "I Love the Upper West Side" (ILTUWS), a notice on the shop's entrance reads, "No Masks Allowed. Take Off Your Mask Before Entering."

ILTUWS pointed out comments on a local resident's Nextdoor (a neighborhood app) post, "They should be boycotted. 10025 (the zip code for the neighborhood) had the highest number of Omicron cases this week…" a comment said.

ILTUWS also pointed out an opinion by retired judge Dierdra Tompkins. "It discriminates against people who have health issues that require masks," the judge said, according to the news report. "A private business probably can do whatever it wishes."

Opinions aside, the Diamond Rush jewelry has its reasons for stopping people with masks from entering the store. ILTUWS spoke to the store representative about the move, who said that the decision was made after multiple robbery attempts. The masks, the person said, allowed people a level of anonymity, making it harder to identify them. 

The store representative also clarified that the store would still welcome people with masks if they felt uncomfortable without them.

Read more in the complete news report.