Shut Them Down – Call Benihanas out for their Racist, Dangerous Abuse Against Black Customers
Stand in Solidarity against Benihana’s (South Golden Valley) racist and abusive behavior towards African Americans and Communities of Color. Show up to share your own experiences of racial profiling and the refusal of service you have received by this Benihana location.
Please be advised on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at 4:00pm in front of Benihanas Golden Valley, 850 Louisiana Avenue, South Golden Valley, MN 55426 community members will be speaking out against racist and discriminatory behavior towards African American customers by Benihanas’ management.
On March 29, 2021, five Black Women, including an elder and toddler, were refused services after asking for their table to be properly cleaned and to speak with the manager. The police were called by the manager of Benihana’s Golden Valley location in an attempt to intimidate, criminalize, and physically remove the five women from the restaurant. The manager on duty, Kim, verbally threatened to have the woman arrested if the women did not get up from the table in which they were seated and leave the restaurant. The request from the manager came without explanation and/or reason.
After the altercation, we have learned from public testimonies that Benihana’s “South Golden Valley” location calls the Police often on African American customers. And that the restaurant has a long-standing history with the St. Louis Police Department threatening to arrest guests with trespassing on behalf of this Benihana’s location.
WE DEMAND;
•Immediate termination of the racist and unprofessional manager Kim
•A Boycott of this location
•A public apology from the Corporation
•Anti- Racism training for their staff. with a focus on learning anti-blackness. •A corporate wide policy against calling the police on African Americans and other communities of color.
•Benihanas Corporation pay the Culinary Arts tuition of 5 African American students each year, during the existence of the company.
•Immediate termination of the racist and unprofessional manager Kim
•A Boycott of this location
•A public apology from the Corporation
•Anti- Racism training for their staff. with a focus on learning anti-blackness. •A corporate wide policy against calling the police on African Americans and other communities of color.
•Benihanas Corporation pay the Culinary Arts tuition of 5 African American students each year, during the existence of the company.
Back Story:
On March 29, 2020, the first day of the George Floyd trial Golden Valley Police were called on five black women and a toddler by the establishment’s on-duty manager Kim.
On March 29, 2020, the first day of the George Floyd trial Golden Valley Police were called on five black women and a toddler by the establishment’s on-duty manager Kim.
Kim was asked by the party to have their table cleaned and sanitized before their food was prepared on the hibachi grill. The request made by the elder of the group, Rosemary Nevils, was met with aggression and unprofessionalism.
A member of the dining party asked for her check and said she would not be dining with the rest of the party. Kim responded (caught on video) that if one member of the party left, the whole party will need to go. Kim dismissed the hibachi chef and told the party they are free to leave, that “She would not serve them.”
Confused, the party asked why she was refusing their service. Kim then called the Golden Valley Park Police, putting the lives of 5 innocent black women and a toddler in danger.
This location has a standard of calling the Golden Valley Police department when there is disagreement or poor customer services to African American guest.