BUFFALO, N.Y. — A local restaurant and food truck owner says there has been a consistent problem happening and he had to speak out.
He says people have spewed hate toward customers and told workers to go back where they came from.
But the owner of Falafel Bar is getting a lot of support after he posted on Facebook how some people have reacted to his business.
He wrote on Facebook earlier this week: "Within the past year and a half, we have had several incidences of bigotry, intolerance, hatred and racism."
"People come into your store, and look around, and feel that they can say what they want without thinking about the consequences," Oded Rauvenpoor said. "We are a community restaurant. We speak seven different languages in our restaurant."
The last two weeks, he says, have been very challenging.
"I'm a father, my kids work with me, so ..." Rauvenpoor said, his voice trailing off and pausing to fight the tears.
"Spitting in somebody's face in the middle of dining room, in front of people. I don't know who does stuff like that, it doesn't mean anything to me."
Rauvenpoor has posted: "There was the man who ordered $200 worth of food ... and after eating, refused to pay because his view is that immigrant food and labor should be cheap then followed with a loud racist rant in the dining room."
He spoke more about that on Friday.
"When you experience it over and over, then you are not shocked anymore. It makes us sad, angry that our kids have to be in that environment or feel that," he said.
He is overwhelmed by the positive social media comments of support.
"I'm American. I've been here for 20 years," he said, adding, "if you don't like us, don't come in. I mean, it's a free country."
In the end, he says food unites people, and love wins.
"We're here together. Life is short," he said.
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