An Oak Bluffs restaurant that served President Obama last week has been thrust into a storm of criticism on social media following a dispute between the restaurant owners and several patrons.
Medina Tyson Jett, a Connecticut resident and longtime Vineyard summer visitor, claims that she and two friends were treated rudely because of their race Friday night by the owners of Jimmy Seas Pan Pasta on Kennebec avenue. She has filed a civil rights complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.
William Craffey, co-owner of Jimmy Seas, acknowledged he lost his temper, but said his actions were not racially motivated.
The incident caused a social media firestorm after Ms. Jett posted a short video on Facebook that shows Mr. Craffey cursing and ordering patrons out of the restaurant. No reference is made to race in the video clip.
According to Ms. Jett and others, patrons dining at the restaurant asked if a door or window could be opened because the heat inside was stifling. When they were told nothing could be done, Ms. Jett suggested she would write an online review of the restaurant and was confronted by restaurant co-owner Lisa Brown-Huff.
“I was stunned,” Ms. Jett told the Gazette Monday, recounting events. “She pulled out a wad of cash and slammed a $100 bill in front of me.”
A few moments later, she said Mr. Craffey came out and opened a window. But she said he also suggested that she have her picture taken with him in the event that she did post a negative online review. According to Ms. Jett, she asked why Mr. Craffey was singling out her group, who are African American, of all the people who complained.
“He just started screaming,” Ms. Jett said.
Mr. Craffey later apologized in several posts on social media, saying he was tired after working long days this month. “I didn’t handle it well, I should have handled it better,” he told the Gazette. “Does that make me a racist? No.” He noted that the video did not show what preceded his outburst.
“These women were yelling and screaming,” Mr. Craffey said. “The only part [of the video] they posted was the part where the women weren’t yelling and screaming.”
Ms. Jett denied the accusation that she screamed at Mr. Craffey.
“I certainly did not,” Ms. Jett said. “I was trying to defuse the situation. I did not want to make a scene. Never did I yell at him.”
A spokesman for Attorney General Maura Healey said this week that the civil rights complaint is being reviewed, as are all complaints received by the AG.
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