‘Doesn’t matter to these guys’: Chicago woman says a stranger cornered her against a pole downtown, and explains how she managed to escape

A woman in Chicago described a street harassment encounter that turned into a physical confrontation in the city’s downtown area. The woman, who posts online under the handle @lavendermilftea and goes by Sid, said a man named Donnell cornered her against a pole after she turned down his advances.

In a TikTok video she posted, Sid said the encounter allegedly started after she bought a smoothie. When the man approached and called her beautiful, she said thank you, which she said is a tactic she uses to gauge whether a situation is safe. The situation became aggressive when Donnell asked for her phone number, according to Sid. She told him she had a boyfriend, but he said they could be something else and would not leave her alone.

“There is a pole behind me, and he has me pressed up against a pole and is refusing to leave me alone. I told him multiple times I have a boyfriend, and he’s not leaving me alone … and at this point, I’m just saying in my head, ‘OK, I’m gonna give him a fake number so then he can leave me alone,'” Sid said in her video.

Restaurant staff stepped in to hold the man back until police were called

Sid said that even after she gave him a number, the man made her text him right away to prove it was real. She said the situation reached a turning point when a valet worker at the restaurant Maple & Ash noticed what was happening and started taking pictures.

Sid said she used the moment to escape by pretending she saw someone she knew nearby and walking toward them. According to Sid, Donnell followed her, and when she started running, he chased her. She said she reached the restaurant, where staff stepped in to shield her and physically held Donnell back. Sid said employees called the police, but Donnell left before officers got there.

“It sucks making this video because it feels like us girls, we’re told to do everything, like, you know, I tried to not agitate him; I tried to be polite because I’m scared. I don’t want to give him an excuse to beat me up. I was wearing, like, a sweat pant, not saying that that matters, because it doesn’t matter to these guys,” Sid said.

Sid said the aftermath was frustrating because police did not take a statement from her and did not take any action, even though she had photos and his contact information. Other public encounters have also drawn attention online, including a disabled airline passenger being called a burden by airport staff.

Since Sid shared her story, the video has been viewed more than 2.1 million times and has received 247,500 likes. Commenters have suggested self-defense options such as pepper spray or non-lethal tools like a Byrna, which fires projectiles filled with chemical irritants.

In a follow-up video, Sid said Donnell has been arrested multiple times for assault, and another local resident said they see him in the area often. Sid encouraged others to stay alert, saying, “Seriously, be careful … and always, like, try to look for an exit plan.” Being prepared in risky situations has also been the focus of a life-saving ice rescue technique demonstrated by an Alaska fisherman.