NORTH HAVEN, CT — A man has been banned from a popular restaurant in North Haven after the owner said he hurled racial slurs at another customer.
The incident happened at Gas Burgers at 277 State Street in North Haven on Sunday night.
Owner Chris Allen addressed the incident in a post on social media.
Allen said an "African American gentleman waiting for his takeout order at Gas Burgers was subjected to racial slurs by another customer."
"I wasn't present, but I'm incredibly proud of our employees, who immediately intervened and removed the individual responsible," Allen wrote in a post on the restaurant's Facebook page. "That individual is permanently unwelcome at Gas Burgers.
"I want everyone to understand something about me and about this restaurant. I don't care whether you're Black, white, Asian, Indian, or any other race or ethnicity. I care about how you treat other human beings.
"We built Gas Burgers to be a place where families, friends, neighbors, and people from every background can come together, share a meal, laugh, and make memories.
"Racism, hate, harassment, and discrimination have absolutely no place in that vision.
"To the gentleman who was targeted, someone I've had the pleasure of meeting before: I am truly sorry this happened. You are always welcome here, and I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure our restaurant remains a safe and welcoming place for you and everyone else.
"To our employees: Thank you for acting quickly and doing the right thing.
"Our doors are open to everyone. Our tolerance for hate is ZERO.
"That's not a marketing statement. That's who we are."
For more information, including Allen's video statement, visit Gas Burgers on Facebook here.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
North Haven Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.