NJ Woman Arrested for Attacking Woman with Cane Over Mask Request

There is justice after all, at least in the case of the woman who viciously attacked an elderly woman inside a store ... all over -- you guessed it -- masks.

25-year-old Terri Thomas was arrested in Hackensack, NJ for aggravated assault after video surfaced, allegedly showing her attack the lady at a STAPLES who'd asked her to pull up her mask over mouth.... which sent Thomas into a rage.

The surveillance video shows the assault clear as day -- cops say it depicts Thomas circling back to the woman -- a 54-year-old who recently had a liver transplant. The older woman tries to fend her off with her cane, but it backfired.

The suspect grabbed the woman's cane and tossed her like a rag doll ... leaving the woman on the ground and writhing in pain as the suspect stormed out, mask half hanging off her mug. Cops say the woman suffered a fractured leg and required surgery.

We've been seeing these types of face-offs way too often lately -- people telling others they should follow safety guidelines and wear face coverings, only to be cussed out, accosted, threatened, and in some cases ... outright injured for doing the right thing.