Authorities are investigating an incident from last week for a possible hate crime after the owner of a popular Palo Alto sushi restaurant was verbally berated with racist insults by an angry customer.
The altercation occurred on August 1 at Fuki Sushi, located at 4119 El Camino Real. The customer attempted to pay for his meal with cash however he was told that the restaurant was not accepting that form of payment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The enraged customer proceeded to hurl anti-Asian hate speech at the owner, Lumi Gardner, who explained what happened in a Facebook post.
"You are un-American!" the customer reportedly screamed at Gardner. "Where were you even born? Where did you even go to school? ... Go back to your country! You don’t belong here! We don’t want to see you here!"
She said that her "entire body was shaking from shock, fear, and anger."
Despite the tirade, the man eventually paid with cash though he initially attempted not to. Gardner followed him as he stormed out of the restaurant to make sure he didn’t damage any property. The customer then proceeded to drive “uncomfortably close” to Gardner and continued to verbally assault her.
Gardner recorded some of the altercation on video, however she said the man “wisely” did not “express his racist beliefs while on camera.”
"His display of entitlement and racism is a poison I do not tolerate - for my children, my community, my team and my business,”=" her post concluded.
Later that week, she said she also received a threatening phone call, prompting police to patrol the restaurant.
An investigation is ongoing by the Palo Alto Police Department and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office to determine if the incident can be charged as a hate crime.
Palo Alto Mayor Tom DuBois told the San Jose Mercury News that the city is "taking the incident very seriously."
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, no arrest has been made, though police are aware of the suspect’s identity.
Gardner’s harrowing story went viral and she wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday that "people from all over the country" reached out to her "to express their support and disgust." She called it a "silver lining" of the encounter.
The outpouring of encouragement led her to create a fundraiser, with all donations directly supporting efforts to stop the rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community.
"I’m sure the fact that this man was a part in raising awareness and raising funds for this cause will be a thorn in his side!" she said.
Fuki Sushi was been Gardner’s family’s business since 1979.
To donate to Gardner’s fundraiser, click here.
Related
