A San Francisco restaurant received a wave of negative reviews after it made headlines for asking uniformed police officers to leave, saying the presence of guns made staff uncomfortable.
Hilda and Jesse, a breakfast restaurant in the town’s North Beach neighborhood, sat three uniformed officers on Friday, but said her staff had become uncomfortable with the presence of little “multiple guns” soon after.
The restaurant’s Instagram page said it was not a political decision and was taken in the best interests of its staff.
“We respect the San Francisco Police Department and are grateful for the job they do,” the statement said on social media. “We welcome them to the restaurant when they are not on duty, without uniform and without their weapons.”
Restaurant owners also met with officers at the department’s central station on Saturday to discuss the incident, according to NBC Bay Area.
A wave of negative 1-star reviews were posted on the Hilda and Jesse Yelp page over the weekend.
“Refusing law enforcement because they were in uniform is all I need to know about this place,” said one reviewer. “I will never set foot there. Make sure you do NOT call the police if you are the victim of theft !! Do not be hypocritical !!”
Another reviewer wrote, “What’s wrong with you? I can’t wait for you to go bankrupt. You are a shame. Throw the cops out ????
On Sunday morning the restaurant page had a 1 star rating with over 460 reviews.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott addressed the issue Saturday in a series of tweets. Scott said the department stood for safety “with respect”, even though officers find someone else’s wishes “personally disappointing.”
“I believe the vast majority of San Franciscans welcome their police officers, who deserve to know that they are appreciated for the hard work we ask them to do – in their uniforms – to keep our neighborhoods and our businesses safe.” Scott added.