CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - A coffee shop customer said he was discriminated against and waited longer than he had hoped for his cup of Joe all because of his support for Donald Trump.
David Sanguesa said he was treated differently due to his race at the Starbucks coffee shop in Coral Gables. A customer sitting down began to record the altercation between Sanguesa and the barista on their cell phone, Wednesday.
Sanguesa was caught on camera saying several nasty things to a female barista, but Sanguesa said there’s more to the story.
https://twitter.com/Jbdcl/status/799010476017537027
On the video, he could be heard telling the barista, “You’re trash.” Another Starbucks customer came to the barista’s defense. “I don’t know what happened, but do not talk to people like that,” he said.
Sanguesa said he lost his cool during a coffee run with a colleague Wednesday. “We ordered our coffee, and it wasn’t served to us,” he said.
He told 7News that his friend even inquired about the delay, but the barista didn’t respond in the manner he expected. “She goes, ‘I’ll get to it when I want to get to it,'” Sanguesa said.
After waiting for nearly 20 minutes, Sanguesa said, that was when things got nasty. “You’re trash. I voted for Trump,” he could be heard saying on the cell phone video recording.
He said he believed he was refused service because he’s white and a known Trump supporter. “This is what I’ve been harassed about,” Sanguesa said as he put up his Trump sign on his truck.
He had the sign on his truck and was actually talking about supporting the president elect at the coffee shop that morning. “I guess some people heard that. Maybe it was too loud, but I think that the girl behind the counter was not liking it,” Sanguesa said. “It just kind of blew out of proportion.”
He did not receive his cup of coffee but managed to get a few words in before he left. “Refusing to be served was very upsetting,” he told 7News.
The manager of the Coral Gables Starbucks wouldn’t speak with 7News, but the company released the following statement: “Embracing diversity and treating each other with respect and dignity is core to Starbucks values and something our partners take great pride in showing. We are committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and safe work environment for everyone.”
Sanguesa said the company has apologized and that he regrets his behavior. “It was really out of control, and I said some dumb things,” he admitted, “and I was wrong. I’m sorry, this should have never happened. I should have just walked out. Keep your political opinions to yourself and keep your mouth shut.”
That customer said he’s now taking his own advice and repeated that he was sorry about the whole ordeal.
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