LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The owner of a Little Rock restaurant that asked Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to leave on March 13 has released a statement about what happened.
The owners of The Croissanterie released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“When Governor Sanders arrived unexpectedly, staff worked non-stop to serve her and her party.
As her security became more visible in the restaurant, some employees and guests expressed discomfort. After the group finished their meal, a security guard was quietly asked to help wrap up the visit in accordance with our standard 90-minute table policy.
The request was not received immediately and after contact was established the subject stayed for a while before leaving without incident.
We would like to clarify: the restaurant was not disrupted. The claim that an employee made an inappropriate gesture is incorrect – it was a customer and the situation was resolved.
This was not a decision made lightly. We choose to prioritize the comfort of our employees and guests while continuing to provide service respectfully and without escalation. “
“Last week, I was having lunch at a restaurant with two other moms and the owner approached a member of the State Police Protective SWAT team and said my presence made their employees feel threatened and asked us to leave. Arkansans are known for their hospitality, and while that restaurant certainly didn’t live up to that standard, my administration will continue to work to uplift Arkansans rather than use discrimination and hatred to hold others down.”
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