Two employees at a Smoothie King in Ann Arbor, Michigan, were fired after they refused to serve a couple because the man was wearing a hoodie with President Donald Trump's name on it. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, was captured on video by Erika Lindemyer and has since gone viral.
Key Takeaways
Two employees at a Smoothie King in Ann Arbor were fired after refusing to serve a man wearing a Trump hoodie, sparking a viral video and widespread debate over discrimination.
- Employees refused service citing discomfort with the customer’s political attire
- Video of the incident went viral, garnering millions of views
- Smoothie King issued a statement condemning discrimination and enforcing retraining for employees
- One former employee claimed she refused service due to alleged affiliations between Trump and pedophiles
In the video, Lindemyer and her husband Jake were denied service after an employee stated that they felt uncomfortable serving them due to Jake’s hoodie. 'We were just wanting a smoothie and you literally looked at us, and I asked you if everything was okay,' Lindemyer said in the video. 'You said we don't feel comfortable serving you because of my husband's hoodie. That is discrimination.'
The employees defended their decision, with one stating that they had the right to refuse service. The couple argued that this refusal based on political views was illegal.
Smoothie King released a statement confirming that the two employees were no longer with the business and emphasizing their commitment to ensuring stores are free of discrimination. The company also stated that they have reached out to apologize to the couple and will enforce mandatory retraining for all employees regarding guest experience standards.
One of the former employees, Janiyah Mishelle, told Fox News that her refusal was due to alleged affiliations between Trump and pedophiles. She clarified that her statements were not on behalf of Smoothie King and thanked those supporting her through digital harassment and job loss. The couple created a GoFundMe page citing harassment and threats against their family.
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