Californian Diner Hilda and Jesse’s had the gall to kick three policemen out because they felt the armed officers were ruining their “safe space.” A rep from the Diner initially talked about their stance and how they felt armed police officers were not allowed in the Diner on Instagram. But after the public caught wind of their anti-police stance the Diner suddenly had a change of heart.
The Diner’s initial response:
“Our restaurant is a safe space – particularly for queer and BIPOC individuals. Furthermore, the fact that they were in uniform with multiple weapons on them made our staff uncomfortable, and potentially other guests, so they were asked to leave. We would happily welcome them off-duty, out of uniform, and without weapons.
We’re sorry that the decision upset you. We understand your perspective and we hope you’ll consider ours.”
SFPD Police Chief Scott expressed his disappointment.
“Community engagement is a core principle of SFPD’s 21st-century police reforms, and we are intentional about asking our officers to support local businesses and get to know those they’re sworn to safeguard.
The San Francisco Police Department stands for safety with respect, even when it means respecting wishes that our officers and I find discouraging and personally disappointing.
I believe the vast majority of San Franciscans welcome their police officers, who deserve to know that they are appreciated for the difficult job we ask them to do — in their uniforms — to keep our neighborhoods and businesses safe.”
After realizing the error of their ways and likely a decline in sales, the restaurant owners backtracked.
“We made a mistake and apologize for the unfortunate incident on Friday when we asked members of the San Francisco Police Department to leave or restaurant. We are grateful to all members of the force who work hard to keep us safe, especially during these challenging times. We hope this will be a teachable moment for us as we repair and continue to build bridges with the SFPD. There are stressful times, and we handled this badly.”
It seems like this mistake has more to do with a sudden loss of business than anything else. But really they should know better. The police are the ones that watch out for the community including their restaurant. It was beyond foolish to kick them out and make them feel unwelcome.
Leave a Comment