TAMPA, Florida (KRON) — A viral video shows a Tampa, Florida 7-Eleven employee berating a customer for speaking Spanish.
Strangers are now coming forward to defend the customer.
The 7-Eleven clerk yelled at the customer after he’d asked for a pack of cigarettes in broken English, the video shows.
Yasmany Rodriguez recorded the encounter after a few bystanders stepped into his defense.
Days later, the video is spreading.
“Racism is not dead,” Carlos Perez said. “Stop the ignorance.”
Perez is speaking up for Rodriguez, who is a legal U.S. citizen who moved here from Cuba.
“It’s unfair…you’re not allowed to treat people like that no matter what,” Perez said.
A spokesperson for 7-Eleven emailed the following statement:
“Every customer is important. The statements made by the sales associate were inappropriate and offensive. We are investigating the matter and will ensure it is handled appropriately.”
“It was uncalled for,” Perez said.
Regardless of the outcome, Perez is willing to stand out in the heat.
“I’m here to represent the Spanish community,” Perez said.
Perez is hoping the video, and his sign, won’t go unnoticed.
“We cannot single-handedly stop racism, but we can let these people know that we are not going to tolerate this kind of attitude and we will not be belittled,” Perez said.
A manager at the 7-Eleven where the incident happened says the situation has been handled, but would not elaborate on any details.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON:
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