A video recorded inside a Blue Ridge restaurant shows a heated confrontation after a mother breastfed her baby during a family dinner.
What’s Happening: Aris Kopiec was eating with her family at Toccoa Riverside Restaurant on Nov. 8 when the owner confronted her.
- Kopiec breastfed her four-month-old daughter while covered with a blanket and seated in a corner, facing away from other patrons.
- After the meal, the owner confronted her while she was holding the baby and told her she could not do that in the restaurant.
What’s Important: Kopiec recorded the encounter near the restaurant entrance. The video shows the owner yelling and objecting after she told him breastfeeding in public is allowed under Georgia law.
The video is below.
@paaris_injector Breastfeeding is NOT illegal. Breastfeeding is NOT inappropriate. Breastfeeding is NOT something a mom should be kicked out for. Georgia law protects it — yet Toccoa Riverside Restaurant didn’t seem to care. I was kicked out of Toccoa Riverside Restaurant for breastfeeding my infant. In the moment, I was overwhelmed and didn’t advocate for myself. Moms: know your rights, and let’s hold businesses accountable — share this to help educate others and this restaurant about breastfeeding laws! #BreastfeedingRights #NormalizeBreastfeeding #MomLife #BreastfeedingJourney ♬ original sound – paaris_injector
How This Affects Real People: Breastfeeding in public places, including restaurants, is legal in Georgia. The video shows how those rights are still being violated by some business owners in the state.
What Happened Next: Kopiec posted the video online, where it spread widely. She said a restaurant employee later apologized to her husband.
Why This Is Getting Attention: The video has drawn hundreds of thousands of views and strong reactions, including criticism directed at Kopiec for breastfeeding.
What She Said: Kopiec said she shared the video to help others understand their rights and how difficult it can be to assert them in the moment.
