Subway Responds After Restaurant Manager's 'Profanity-Laced Tirade'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Subway spokesperson has responded after a Muslim advocacy group demanded answers stemming from a confrontation last week between a manager and a Muslim woman at a south metro location.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says Ikran Salat was subject to a "profanity-laced tirade" on Jan. 15 from the Subway manager at the Edina restaurant on France Avenue.
The group says that the incident, part of which was recorded on video, left the woman and her young children shaken.
"Corporations have to take measures to prevent incidents like this and show a zero tolerance policy toward bias incidents" said Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of CAIR-MN, in a statement.
CAIR-MN held a press conference addressing the incident with Salat late Wednesday morning.
The cellphone video of the incident, which was posted on YouTube, shows an argument between a man who identifies himself as a Subway manager and Salat, who is apparently holding the phone.
It's not clear what prompted the argument, but it quickly gets heated, with the manager cursing and telling Salat to "f---ing leave." The three-minute video ends with the manager calling the cops.
By Wednesday evening, Subway had released this statement:
"We pride ourselves on the ethnic diversity and inclusive nature of the Subway brand. The franchise owner recognizes that this situation was poorly handled and is working with the restaurant manager to correct this behavior.
We and our independent Subway Franchise Owners are committed to treating every person with dignity and respect. We make available resources and training, including an anti-bias trainging course, to all restaurants to ensure that each guest who walks through the door -- regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender -- receives the best Subway experience."
WCCO has also reached out to Edina police for comment.
