EUSTIS, Fla. — An argument between two customers and a manager of a Florida Burger King that allegedly started when the manager spoke Spanish to another employee was caught on video and has gone viral on social media.
The video was shot Saturday by Neyzha Borrero, who was eating at the Eustis restaurant with her boyfriend when she heard the argument, the Miami Herald reported. Borrero recorded the incident on her cellphone and later posted the video to Facebook.
As of Thursday afternoon, the video had more than 70,000 views.
This just happened right in front of me!!!! I had to record!!! “This is AMERICA! we speak ENGLISH” “GO BACK TO MEXICO. Speak “Puerto Rican” or “Mexican” at home!” Puerto Rican Manager at Burger King gets discriminated only because he spoke to his employee in Spanish in front of them. #burgerking #discrimination
Posted by Neyzha Nicole on Saturday, July 6, 2019
In the video, an older woman wearing a blue blouse can be heard telling the manager, “This is America. Our main language is English. ... Speak your Mexican at home.”
“Freedom of speech, ma’am. ... Guess what, ma’am, I’m not Mexican. You’re being very prejudiced and I want you out of my restaurant right now,” the manager replies.
The second woman, wearing a pink blouse, says, “This isn’t your restaurant. It is not.”
The manager threatens to call the police.
The three continue to exchange words until the women get up and leave.
The manager was identified by CNN as Ricardo Castillo. He is Puerto Rican, CNN reported.
The women haven't been identified.
The argument began after the women overheard Castillo speaking to another employee in Spanish, according to the Herald.
"When I heard 'You cannot speak Spanish in public,' I grabbed my phone and I was like, 'Hold up,'" Borrero told NBC News.
"We applauded him because he never disrespected them at all. He was very professional," Borrero told CNN.
Burger King spokeswoman Dori Alvarez told NBC News in a statement, “There is no place for discrimination in our restaurants. We expect employees and guests to treat each other with respect.”
Officials with the Eustis Police Department told CNN the police were not called.
Cox Media Group
