An employee of an ice cream parlor in England reportedly berated an Asian family, calling them “monkeys” while chasing them out of the store.
Harrowing experience: 40-year-old father Mohammed Abubakar Qasim shared on Facebook how he and his three children received verbal abuse from a worker at Charlotte’s Ice Cream Parlour in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, Mirror Online reports.
- According to Qasim, he entered the store without a face mask on.
- An argument erupted after he explained to one of the store clerks that he was exempt from wearing a face mask due to a medical condition.
- He tried to prove this by showing a medical pass but was shouted at and told to leave the store with his family.
- When he asked why he and his family were being kicked out, the worker allegedly called them “monkeys.”
- “Bear in mind other customers were not wearing masks for whatever or no reason,” he noted.
- The episode left his children aged 11, 7, and 4, in tears, and now afraid to go outside.
- “My kids have been affected quite badly and do not want to leave the house,” Qasim was quoted as saying.
- The incident has also caused him to constantly check how people are looking at him without a mask on.
Ongoing investigation: Dewsbury and Mirfield Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector Chris Hughes stated that an investigation into the incident is being conducted after collecting statements from Qasim and witnesses.
- “I want to reiterate how seriously we treat reported incidents of racial abuse,” Hughes.
- Two witnesses provided statements to the police, while one employee apologized for the co-worker’s behavior to Qasim.
- Qasim said he spoke out about the incident to raise awareness and help avoid a similar incident from happening.
- Some customers who claimed to have witnessed the event left negative online reviews for the shop.
Anyone with details related to the incident is urged to reach out to Dewsbury and Mirfield NPT on 101 referencing police crime number 131200419948 or online at www.westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk/1010livechat.
Feature Image via Mohammed Abubakar Qasim
