Atlanta Restaurant Apologizes For Kicking Out Black Couple Over Their Sneakers
An Atlanta sushi restaurant is issued an apology after kicking out a Black couple over their footwear.
On October 28, a video posted to social media shows attorney Kaylan Colbert and her husband being asked to leave Umi Sushi in Buckhead for wearing all-white Nike Air Force Ones. The video of the incident went viral and the owner is apologizing.
According to USA Today, restaurant owner Farshid Arshid, who was reportedly arguing with the couple in the parking lot, said, "We absolutely mishandled it. I’m ashamed of that ... we should’ve managed the situation much better."
In case you missed it, Kaylan Colbert, spoke with Fox 5 Atlanta, and said she and her husband were celebrating her birthday and were already seated when they were asked to leave.
"As we were walking out though my husband noticed a woman at the bar had on tennis shoes and that’s when everything had gone out the window at that point, because there are no rules here for some people, only for others," Colbert said, adding she was the one who filmed the incident. "If you’re going to have rules, they should apply to everyone and not just some people."
As the encounter moved outside, the conversation escalated as Colbert’s husband demanded answers as to why he was being kicked out. The restaurant’s owner Farshid Arshid entered the conversation and further antagonized the couple.
Colbert posted on Instagram that Arshid called her husband a “zero” and complained that he didn’t know why they let “these people” in Buckhead.
At one point, Arshid is heard saying,"He's going to go to jail tonight” and “I'm not letting Air Force 1s in my establishment."
Colbert said her husband has worn sneakers to Umi in the past without incident.
Management has reportedly reached out to the couple, however, Colbert isn’t guaranteeing they will return to the restaurant.
"We’ve seen this on the news over and over lately. Nobody wants to feel that way. Nobody wants to feel like they can’t go to certain places," she said.
Colbert also said in an Instagram post that she has not accepted the apology.
Watch the video of the incident, below:
