A black woman says she felt “racially profiled” when she was booted from a Virginia Dunkin’ Donuts after she tried to use the shop’s free Wi-Fi without buying anything, reports said.
Tirza Wilbon White was about to use her laptop in the Fairfax store when a woman who identified herself as the owner told her and another man — also a person of color — that they’d have to make a purchase if they wanted to stay.
“This is what it means to be black in America,” White said in a Facebook post last week. “I am a regular in this location and her employees know me by face. They have saved my power cord when I’ve forgotten it and given it to me the next time I came. But, this was the first time I met her.”
“I was dressed in a hoodie, yoga pants, no makeup,” she told NBC 4 Washington. “I felt racially profiled.”
She then pulled out her cellphone and started recording her conversation with the owner, who identified herself as Christina Cabral.
“I need to ensure safety to my customers and I’m not saying that you’re a problem, but I’ve had problems in the past,” Cabral said in the video.
But White told the station she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I hadn’t committed a crime,” she said. “I wasn’t yelling. I wasn’t disruptive. I wasn’t rude.”
When White accused Cabral of targeting her because of her race, the confrontation heated up.
“Don’t get into racial profiling,” Cabral said. “You can leave my location. I find that offensive.”
The owner then called the cops.
A responding officer told White she had to leave “because she wants you to.”
A Dunkin’ Donuts spokesperson told the station the company has since responded to White.
“We and our franchisees want every customer who walks into a Dunkin’ restaurant to be treated with dignity and respect,” the statement said. “This did not happen in a situation at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia. We have apologized to the customer, but we know that is not enough.”
A new sign in the store says that customers must make a purchase if they want to sit inside.
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