A man has been charged with two counts of assault after blocking a line outside a Kitchener grocery store on Saturday, according to Waterloo Regional Police Service.

The 27-year-old man was arrested outside the Real Canadian Superstore on Highland Road West. Police were called to the scene around 11 a.m.

Police say the man was blocking the line to the store with his belongings and when somebody tried to move past his items, the man allegedly attempted to assault the customer.

Then a second customer tried to move past the man and he was assaulted, according to police. One of the men suffered minor injuries, police said.

Const. André Johnson, a public information officer for Waterloo Regional Police Service, said police are seeing a great deal of violent behaviour during the pandemic.

"We have seen an increase in aggressive behaviour. At no point in time is this behaviour acceptable," Johnson said.

Police in Guelph, Stratford and Waterloo region say they've responded to reports of customers spitting or coughing on workers out of frustration in recent weeks.

"We're reminding the public to be patient, to be understanding of the circumstances," Johnson said. "Everyone is in the same situation."